Dynamic Demand Technology

[Argus]

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Right here in the 51st state as well as in western and mid Europe in general, we?ve been noticing unusual extremes of temperature. If you watched the football in Germany you?ll know what I mean.

Temperatures in southern England have regularly reached 34 degrees in past few weeks ?probably almost 10 degrees higher than the norm for this time of year.

Whether it?s a sign of things to come or one of the irregular scorchers we get from time to time, I?ll reserve judgement, but the UK government is in high gear churning out what I term as ?Kyoto Mechanisms? The latest is a new act in mid June , ?Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act 2006?.
The whole thing is here: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2006/20060019.htm


Buried in it at section 18 is the following extract on Dynamic Demand concerned with linking energy curtailment to the state of the national grid. (I should explain for non UK readers that the entire UK is one contiguous electrical supply network the state of the grid is degraded by excessive peak load and can be and is monitored across the nation by the minute).

The important keyphrases are underlined.

18 Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions: report regarding dynamic demand technologies

(1) The Secretary of State must, not later than 12 months after this section comes into force, publish a report on the contribution that is capable of being made by dynamic demand technologies to reducing emissions of greenhouse gases in Great Britain.

(2) The report must state the view of the Secretary of State as to whether it is appropriate to take any steps to promote the use of such technologies, and, if it is, what those steps are.

(3) In forming the view mentioned in subsection (2) the Secretary of State must have regard, in particular, to any matters which would prohibit or inhibit the use of any dynamic demand technology in any circumstance in which its use could be expected to make a contribution to reducing emissions of greenhouse gases in Great Britain; and the report must state the matters to which he has had regard.

(4) In this section-

"dynamic demand technology" means any technology which enables-
(a) the consumption of electricity, at a particular time, by a device connected to a network, or
(b) the generation of electricity, at a particular time, by an electricity microgenerating system connected to a network,
to be controlled or adjusted automatically by reference to, or to matters relating to, the frequency of alternating current on the network at that time;
"electricity microgenerating system" has the same meaning as in section 4;
"network" means a distribution system (within the meaning of Part 1 of the Electricity Act 1989 (c. 29)) or a transmission system (within the meaning of that Part).


Although we can and do remotely monitor and control refrigerated product in order to minimise power consumption, this appears to be a new approach and one that may assign priorities to certain consumers. Non essential central plant air conditioning, for example.

This one will be worth watching. A lot of things have to be defined and a deal of supporting legislation put in place.

This is definitely NOT another 'Energy Star' scheme or anything like it.

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300 SLR