Energy companies may get the power to switch on and off home airconditioners remotely. Picture: Thinkstock Source: Herald Sun
ALL home airconditioners sold in Australia would be designed to be remotely switched on and off by power companies during extreme heat, under a plan to reduce electricity bills.
Manufacturers of airconditioners, water heaters, pool pumps and electric car chargers would be required to offer "smart appliances" that were capable of being "cycled" on and off during the peak demand times - with customer permission.
This would add an estimated $10 to appliance prices, but potentially cut electricity bills for all households by $60-$120 a year, by reducing pressure on the power grid.
The forecast savings are mainly based on up to half of airconditioned households eventually taking part.
Airconditioner trials in some states had resulted in "only limited discomfort". Most users didn't notice.
Maintaining reliable supply for "peak demand events" - which occur for less than 40 hours a year - makes up a quarter of consumers' electricity bills.
An Equipment Energy Efficiency Committee consultation paper proposes that appliances sold after June next year have mandatory "interfaces" that could be activated to communicate with the electricity network.
The federal-state government advisory body says this would encourage power providers and consumers to curb peak demand through "direct load control".
"Under the direct load control approach, consumers have a choice to allow certain household appliances to be remotely controlled by their electricity provider, which will reduce the demands placed on network capacity at peak times," it notes.
"The main benefit ... is the reduced need for investment in costly electricity network infrastructure."
The committee will decide whether to recommend new appliance regulations after receiving submissions.
Australian Energy Market Commission and Senate inquiry reports late last year identified the potential for lower costs by allowing remote control of appliances.
The managing director of the Energy Supply Association of Australia, Andrew Dillon, supported the push.
The Consumer Action Law Centre's Janine Rayner said it was important to be sure that the benefits stacked up, and that customers were fully informed.
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