Smart Grid up and running

BillW

IBM and the Maltese government have completed a joint project to modernize the island's electrical system.  Malta is in a hot area of the Mediterranean Sea, and generates its own power. The system links with smart phones and computers, and you can turn on/ off lights, ac or other appliances you may have forgotten from the phone.  You also get instant energy use info. The full article is on AOL's energy page, it would not link to here.

Also, two high school kids in San Jose, California got a grant to put a similar device on their school as a science fair project, and found that the AC and lights in the building were running all weekend and on holidays, which got the attention of the school board, who since ordered them shut down, saving thousands of dollars.  In this era of tight budgets, it makes you wonder how many other places are doing exactly the same thing.  It's sad, because even pneumatic controls using time clocks and PE switches could do the same thing!  It'd not like its something new!