It may seem stupid at first blush for the reason you pointed out. But the issue for the utility isn’t total energy sold, it’s the problem of meeting peak demand on a hot afternoon. From about 1990 or so, it’s been cheaper for a lot of utilities to pay you to stop using power during peak demand times than to build the next “peaker” power plant. Used to be called “demand side management”. The biggest successes were with very large commercial buildings and industrial installations. The problem in the residential market is you have to change out everybody’s meter to be able to remotely control your power and that is VERY expensive. You really can’t do this on an honor system basis.
I don’t care if they cut mine off for a while during the time I’m at work. I usually turn it up a few degrees before I leave. But I wouldn’t want it off all day, then it really would have to work a lot harder to cool it back off, and be uncomfortable while I’m waiting for it. When I come in on a hot summer day, I want to get cool and dry, asap.
I don’t care if they cut mine off for a while during the time I’m at work. I usually turn it up a few degrees before I leave. But I wouldn’t want it off all day, then it really would have to work a lot harder to cool it back off, and be uncomfortable while I’m waiting for it. When I come in on a hot summer day, I want to get cool and dry, asap.