1 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:04,760 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff from the Science Lab from how stuff 2 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:16,160 Speaker 1: works dot com. Hey guys, I'm up to the podcast. 3 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:17,959 Speaker 1: This is Alsam, I don't know if the science editor 4 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:20,439 Speaker 1: at how stuff works dot com. And this is Robert Lamb, 5 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:23,479 Speaker 1: science writer and how stuff works dot com. Colling to this, Allison, 6 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 1: what is your favorite high tech gadget in the house. Well, 7 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 1: I don't know how high tech it is, but um, 8 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: I believe early in the morning. My favorite gadget in 9 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: the house is definitely in the orange espresso machine that 10 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 1: we have orange espresso, like it makes espresso out of oranges. No, 11 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 1: it's orange colored and I think it's fancy and I've 12 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:49,479 Speaker 1: finally mastered it. Oh the machines orange espresso is espresso 13 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: is kind of a brownish color with this little lighter 14 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 1: brown foam on top, and then you can't even see 15 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 1: the brown color because then it's covered by this nice 16 00:00:57,160 --> 00:00:59,959 Speaker 1: steamed milk that I do with a little cinnamon on top. 17 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: That's delicious. Well that's pretty cool. Yeah, my favorite high 18 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:05,680 Speaker 1: tech gadget is probably the the Xbox three sixty. Of 19 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:07,840 Speaker 1: course it is because it has games and stuff on 20 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 1: because you mentioned it on every podcast, not every podcast, 21 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:13,319 Speaker 1: A few it's been just been really good of late 22 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 1: because of that that darned Western game. But but anyway, 23 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:19,640 Speaker 1: my point being as high tech as these gadgets are, 24 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:24,039 Speaker 1: the electric grid that that that fuels them with their 25 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:27,840 Speaker 1: energy is not necessarily all that high tech, um. But 26 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:31,760 Speaker 1: it is a crazy, large, complicated machine, perhaps the world's 27 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:35,319 Speaker 1: largest machine. I've heard that tauted. And it's depending a 28 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:38,319 Speaker 1: lot of it's depending on like hundred year old infrastructure, 29 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:41,839 Speaker 1: some fifty year old assets. It's like this weird mix 30 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 1: of of just really outdated stuff and just cutting edge um, 31 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: you know technology. Um. And it's to the point where 32 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:52,320 Speaker 1: it's not really that efficient or not as if not 33 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 1: nearly as efficient as we need it to be. Yeah, 34 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 1: and as it could be. And so that's why we're 35 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: talking today about the smart grid, right, the smart and 36 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:01,680 Speaker 1: this this terms gets thrown around a lot, and it's 37 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 1: it is it is complicated, Like you can't just you 38 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 1: can't just go to the you know, nobody can realistically say, hey, 39 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 1: when are we getting smart grids around here, or you know, 40 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:11,920 Speaker 1: go to the storm, buy me some smart grids. You know. 41 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:15,920 Speaker 1: It's it's a little more complicated than that. Um. Like 42 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:18,520 Speaker 1: the analogy that keeps coming to my mind is like 43 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: think of the Internet, all right. It encompasses data, hardware, 44 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 1: software users, um, you know, massive companies, distributors. It's a system, 45 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 1: right right. Power is much the same way, all right. 46 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:33,959 Speaker 1: The grid is the is a manner by which power 47 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:38,920 Speaker 1: is produced, delivered, consumed and accounted for. And if you 48 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:43,639 Speaker 1: follow this fall, it's like this change all right. On 49 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:46,960 Speaker 1: one end we have generation of power, power plants, etcetera. 50 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:50,919 Speaker 1: And on the far end we have we have Xbox 51 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 1: three sixties and Orange Expresso machines. And then we have 52 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:59,120 Speaker 1: several different links in between. These links are right again, 53 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:02,920 Speaker 1: generations of one than transmission. Then you have your substation 54 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:05,959 Speaker 1: and this is where voltages transformed from high to low 55 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:10,679 Speaker 1: or the reverse using transformers, not the robots in disguise, 56 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 1: but transformers, electoral transformers. And then you have a distribution 57 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: point right right distribution. And then you have your home. Yeah, 58 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 1: that last smile and the in the home and us. 59 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:25,480 Speaker 1: So the smart grid in concept is about making each 60 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:28,840 Speaker 1: link in this chain more efficient on an individual level 61 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 1: and increasing communication across the grid to make it all smarter, right, 62 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: smarter systems and enabling smarter users. Right, because you can 63 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 1: have the smart system in the world, but of course 64 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:40,720 Speaker 1: we need to know how to use it in the 65 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 1: best way possible, the most efficient way possible. Right, And 66 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 1: that's why it's so complete. We're talking about upgrading and 67 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 1: any any huge system, you know, like I said, the 68 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 1: largest machine in the world, right, and with why why 69 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 1: should you care about this? Because it ultimately breaks down 70 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 1: to lower energy bills of course, um, a better carbon footprint, 71 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 1: and smarter, more informed energy usage. Yeah. And if you 72 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: want to get off fossil fuels, you know, for what 73 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 1: you know, whether you're talking about political for political reasons 74 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:10,280 Speaker 1: or environmental reasons or cost reasons, yeah, etcetera. Then then this, 75 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: in many people's eyes, is the bridge to that from 76 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 1: the you know, from an oil based world to purely 77 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:20,360 Speaker 1: electrical world. Right, So let's get smart in our house. Yeah, 78 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 1: around the house. There are a number of things that 79 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 1: make make up a you know, smart grid just around 80 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:27,279 Speaker 1: the house. And I got some pretty basic ones like 81 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 1: motion detectors. Yeah, Like, hey, I'm not in my if 82 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:32,160 Speaker 1: I'm not in the study and I don't want the 83 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 1: lights on in the study, you have it set up 84 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 1: to motion detectors, you know, you know this whole discussion 85 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:39,600 Speaker 1: on smart good technology did lead me to wonder whether 86 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:43,719 Speaker 1: someday we could get to um motion detected air conditioning. 87 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 1: I don't know, it sounds like an awesome idea. The 88 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 1: another big one and we go into this center house 89 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 1: stuff works article about Vampire power. UM is an article 90 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:56,520 Speaker 1: which you read, yes I did. I had to fight 91 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:58,719 Speaker 1: to get it called vampire power, though you did. Was 92 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 1: the alternatives they wanted to you phantom load, which is 93 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:06,239 Speaker 1: the term for it, which when here, Yeah, my wife 94 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 1: thinks that that phantom load sounds like if you go 95 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 1: to like change of baby's diaper and it's empty, then 96 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:16,599 Speaker 1: it's phantom load. It's pretty funny. But but okay, so um, yeah, 97 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 1: you have these smart power strips. For instance, there's a 98 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 1: massive you can get master slave strips alright with Sons 99 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:25,359 Speaker 1: and King. Yeah, it's uh basically the ideas you have 100 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:29,280 Speaker 1: like one dedicated like master plug on this power strip 101 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 1: and then you have slave plug ins. The idea of 102 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:36,760 Speaker 1: being like take your entertainment system, um say that, say 103 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 1: like you have like your your video game console, you 104 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:43,040 Speaker 1: have your DVD player, your sound system, you know whatever. 105 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:46,479 Speaker 1: You have several different machines there and they all depend 106 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:48,159 Speaker 1: on the TV. Like, you're not going to be using 107 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 1: your Xbox without the TV on, So you plug the 108 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 1: TV into the master slot and then everything else goes 109 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 1: into the slave slots. So unless the master um devices on, 110 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:02,320 Speaker 1: there's not be any power available to the slave slots. 111 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:05,120 Speaker 1: And the whole reason is vampire power is the amount 112 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:10,000 Speaker 1: of energy that those those different machines drain even if 113 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 1: they're on, even if they're off that plugged in. Yeah, 114 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:15,720 Speaker 1: like that little red dot blanken at you on your 115 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 1: device even though it's off. Vampire power and any of 116 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:23,600 Speaker 1: stuff like Energy Star appliances. You know, for me, the 117 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:26,599 Speaker 1: the washer, dryer, the front loader, that's good stuff. I mean, 118 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:29,839 Speaker 1: but the Energy Star covers lots of appliances. And then 119 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 1: smart meters. We trapped from common sense too, you know. 120 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 1: I mean it's like, do I have two refrigerators when 121 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 1: I only need one? You know, just kind of common 122 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:41,599 Speaker 1: sense things like that. So I have to mention, um, sorry, 123 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:44,480 Speaker 1: mom and Dad that we h my parents are really 124 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 1: big into having two refrigerators and there are two people, 125 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 1: and so we went and it was a little surprised 126 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 1: and like, oh, well, we just turned on the second 127 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:54,159 Speaker 1: fridge out in the garage and it was really nice. 128 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,279 Speaker 1: I mean, they're you know, cokes and various other beverages 129 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:00,280 Speaker 1: that I'd like to consume um in the ridge. But 130 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:02,880 Speaker 1: I was like, why why do they have to fridgerators fronting? 131 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:04,720 Speaker 1: Why don't they just stick the extra beverages on the 132 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 1: pantry floor or something like that. It was kind of 133 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:09,080 Speaker 1: an odd system, but you never know when you're gonna 134 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 1: want to sit down and drink twenty four Coca Cola's 135 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:14,160 Speaker 1: in fast secession, you know. I think there's also some 136 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 1: Coarenta light in there. But in their defense, my husband 137 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:19,520 Speaker 1: very very very very much once to get a deep freeze. 138 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 1: Mm hm. So I don't know a lot of people 139 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:25,720 Speaker 1: are on this too fridge kick. Interesting, Yeah, so common 140 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 1: sense maybe don't have that second fridge if you if 141 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 1: you want to get down with the smart good technology. 142 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: But but like I said, the other big one is 143 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:35,920 Speaker 1: the smart meter, and this is the one that gets 144 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:39,520 Speaker 1: a lot more play of late. This sounds really cool. Yeah. 145 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:42,840 Speaker 1: Smart meters is just basically physical meters, you know, like 146 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 1: on the wall in your house that allow for two 147 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 1: way communication between you, um, your home and in the 148 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 1: wide area network. All right, So how much power are 149 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: you using? How much is available? You know what the 150 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 1: radio is. It's like you know, the utilities, the utility 151 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 1: company is able to see how much power hour is 152 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 1: required on the local level, and you're able to see 153 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 1: like how much am I using right now? Ideally you'd 154 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 1: be able to look at a smart meter and see 155 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 1: like what's your what's your power usage now versus what 156 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 1: it was exactly one week ago? Right right? That's pretty cool, Yeah, 157 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 1: because that's one of the big things. It's like being 158 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:20,840 Speaker 1: able to tell until you know what you're using, you know, 159 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 1: and changing it right in modified behavior or not modified behavior, 160 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 1: depending on and you know what your power usage is showing. 161 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 1: So are these things out, Yeah, they've been, uh, they've 162 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 1: been using them in different locations and actually UM like 163 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 1: commercially they've been available like for commercial UM buildings, UM 164 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 1: in various stages for a while. Like for instance, I 165 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:47,200 Speaker 1: recently toured the the Woodward Art Center here in Atlanta 166 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:50,480 Speaker 1: for an article about their their various green innovations, including 167 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:54,079 Speaker 1: a green roof and UM they have this really cool 168 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:57,040 Speaker 1: display out front, like on a touch screen where like 169 00:08:57,120 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 1: visitors and this is also available online UM where you 170 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:02,680 Speaker 1: can like you can actually see their real time energy usage. 171 00:09:02,679 --> 00:09:04,800 Speaker 1: All right. So so that's that kind of thing has 172 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:07,600 Speaker 1: been around for a little while, and uh an example 173 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:11,679 Speaker 1: of of people rolling it out on a more local level. Um, 174 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:14,679 Speaker 1: it's I think they have these things in California and 175 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 1: in Texas. Right, six thousand apartments in Oklahoma City. We're 176 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:22,079 Speaker 1: giving given smart meters and smart thermostats and gave tenants, 177 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:24,079 Speaker 1: you know, an idea of how much power they're consuming 178 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 1: and how they were spending. And apparently that went really well. 179 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:31,200 Speaker 1: So another big thing that smart meters could enable is 180 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,240 Speaker 1: something called a time of use pricing. Yeah, this is 181 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:36,960 Speaker 1: pretty cool. Right. So think about your electricity bill and 182 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:39,400 Speaker 1: however much it runs, and it's just this lump sum, right, 183 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:43,280 Speaker 1: but think about whether, um, that energy bill, that electricity 184 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:47,600 Speaker 1: bill was broken out according to different rates of the day. So, um, 185 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:50,560 Speaker 1: when there's a huge demand for energy in the middle 186 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 1: of the day, when everybody's at work and using their 187 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 1: laptops or doing whatever it is they're doing, maybe you 188 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 1: have a higher price. Um. And then at night, when 189 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:01,920 Speaker 1: it's cooler and energy you demand has uh dropped off 190 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 1: a little, then your through rate might be lower. Right. 191 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: And it turned into gret Deory. It could almost be 192 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:09,000 Speaker 1: like playing the stock market. You know, it's like, what's 193 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:12,160 Speaker 1: the energy price right now? Should I should I watch 194 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 1: all my children, you know, or should I just go 195 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:17,640 Speaker 1: play with my actual children in the art or something. 196 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:21,240 Speaker 1: Because because of the cost of electricity right, so, we 197 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:26,080 Speaker 1: could redefine how and when energy is consumed I UM. 198 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:29,280 Speaker 1: I talked to UM a member of Green Tech Media 199 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:32,679 Speaker 1: really David Leeds, author of the Smart Grid in two 200 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:35,679 Speaker 1: thousand ten, which is a fabulous free online source if 201 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:37,360 Speaker 1: you if you're out there and you're thinking, I really 202 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:39,839 Speaker 1: would like a hundred and thirty six pages of really 203 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:43,440 Speaker 1: good info about smart grid twenty minutes Robert Allison are 204 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:45,560 Speaker 1: giving me, I want the whole king computer. Well this 205 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:47,120 Speaker 1: is this is they're aimed at. We're aimed at totally 206 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:49,400 Speaker 1: different audiences here. But yeah, this isn't enough, and you 207 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 1: want some really hardcore data. I highly recommend Green Tech 208 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 1: Media for that. But but anyway, I was talking to 209 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:58,440 Speaker 1: him and he pointed out that one of the crucial 210 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 1: things this is stumbling block to some of this technology 211 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:05,599 Speaker 1: is you need regulatory reform to encourage consumer involvement in 212 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:09,160 Speaker 1: smart rid by eliminating single fixed retail rate for most 213 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:12,439 Speaker 1: electrical consumption. All right, So what's the problem with this, Well, 214 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:14,480 Speaker 1: that's because you're just flowing up paying a flat fee. 215 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 1: You know, it wouldn't be an issue of like, what's 216 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:19,680 Speaker 1: what's electricity price? Right now? That you know, we would 217 00:11:19,679 --> 00:11:22,720 Speaker 1: want to bring in time of use rates all right, 218 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:26,199 Speaker 1: implemented in your smart smart meter on your inner home 219 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:29,400 Speaker 1: energy management system. Right, so your gut instinct is, oh, no, 220 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:31,719 Speaker 1: my my electricity bill is going to be higher, right, 221 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:33,800 Speaker 1: I mean that would be mine. Well, that's I mean, 222 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:36,200 Speaker 1: that's one of the ongoing sort of concerns, and that 223 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:39,720 Speaker 1: has to do with the with actually, uh, implementing that. 224 00:11:39,880 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 1: You know, a lot of the smart grid technologies. You 225 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:42,600 Speaker 1: have to do it in a way so that you 226 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:46,560 Speaker 1: don't just you know, spiked the cost of electricity. But 227 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 1: but that's that's kind of a whole another issue that 228 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:52,280 Speaker 1: people are dealing with, right, and then businesses, um, you 229 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:54,000 Speaker 1: have to wonder how this would affect them. Would they 230 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:57,000 Speaker 1: be psyched about point of views I'm sorry, time of 231 00:11:57,120 --> 00:12:01,240 Speaker 1: use pressing or or or not? I mean, would they 232 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:03,080 Speaker 1: have room to maneuver, would they have room to really 233 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:06,960 Speaker 1: change their behavior? I mean, would it be something like, um, well, gee, 234 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 1: you know, we're using a lot of energy and there's 235 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:12,200 Speaker 1: a real heat wave of coming coming through, and you know, 236 00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:15,559 Speaker 1: maybe we should implement a teleworking policy exactly like it's 237 00:12:15,559 --> 00:12:18,199 Speaker 1: getting like due to the heat and the cost of electricity, 238 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:22,040 Speaker 1: it's like more expensive to keep the office staffed, uh, 239 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:24,400 Speaker 1: you know in certain hours of the day. So yeah, 240 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:26,640 Speaker 1: let them. Maybe that solution is letting them work at home. 241 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 1: Maybe the solution is having a cista, letting us all 242 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:33,840 Speaker 1: after lunch, come back around twilight when it's cooled off 243 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 1: a little bit, more shorts all the time. We already 244 00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:39,000 Speaker 1: have shorts Friday. You do know that, right, are you 245 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:40,599 Speaker 1: going to bust out the shorts Friday? Come on, I 246 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:42,680 Speaker 1: don't really wear shorts and lasts him at the beach? 247 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:45,680 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, right, okay, So yeah, there are a number 248 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:48,280 Speaker 1: of different different things I think that you know, a 249 00:12:48,320 --> 00:12:49,679 Speaker 1: company could do. And that's the thing they would have 250 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:51,720 Speaker 1: the freedom to sort of play with it. And who knows, 251 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 1: if we got to the point where we had had 252 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:57,880 Speaker 1: you know that the time of use pricing available, maybe 253 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:00,440 Speaker 1: flat fee stuff would still be available for people who 254 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:02,200 Speaker 1: could you know do that And it's kind of like 255 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:05,040 Speaker 1: are you paying paying by the download for something? Are 256 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:07,280 Speaker 1: you paying like a flat fee for unlimited downloads kind 257 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:08,400 Speaker 1: of a deal? I don't know, you know, I'm just 258 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:12,520 Speaker 1: speculating on different ways that well gas companies offer floating rates, 259 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 1: I think as opposed to fixed price plans like you 260 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:16,959 Speaker 1: can lock in your price for you know, a period 261 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:20,240 Speaker 1: of twelve months. But so maybe maybe they could do 262 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 1: something similar. I have to wonder how the power companies 263 00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:25,560 Speaker 1: feel about this, because if we're all getting smarter about 264 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:28,439 Speaker 1: the way we're using power, then doesn't that mean we're 265 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 1: using less and doesn't that mean that they're you're not 266 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:33,520 Speaker 1: going to get as much money from us. Yeah, that's 267 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 1: I mean, that's I think in places that's kind of concern. 268 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 1: I think the example that that Leads used was was 269 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:43,959 Speaker 1: it's kind of like convincing Starbucks to make it their 270 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:49,360 Speaker 1: business to sell less coffee to the consumer, so certainly 271 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:52,720 Speaker 1: on people's radar. Well, and another thing that that smart 272 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:56,320 Speaker 1: meters would allow us this thing called demand response, which 273 00:13:56,320 --> 00:14:00,720 Speaker 1: is a pretty cool idea, and this is where utilities would, uh, 274 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:04,840 Speaker 1: we'd give an incentive to customers to reduce their consumption 275 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 1: at critical peak times. All right, So It's like we're 276 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 1: talking about like an hour you know, during the summer 277 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:15,160 Speaker 1: day when it's like where electricity is just really being pumped. Right, 278 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 1: So certain people will have like pre agreed on their 279 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 1: contract that if they cut down their usage during those hours, 280 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:25,400 Speaker 1: they'll get an incentive check. So you know, yeah, so 281 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:28,520 Speaker 1: moving out of the home for a little bit, we're 282 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:30,080 Speaker 1: gonna come back around to the home in the end. 283 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 1: But you move back up the chain and you hit 284 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:38,080 Speaker 1: the distribution section, all right, and and and we're gonna 285 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 1: we're gonna breeze through some of these these middle areas 286 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 1: a little a little faster. But like with the the distribution, 287 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:48,920 Speaker 1: it's like if you has his tying into smart grids, right, 288 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 1: and it's it's like the smart grid stuff in your house. 289 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 1: It kind of like flows back up the channel. Like 290 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 1: the more you know about what's being done on the 291 00:14:56,440 --> 00:15:01,200 Speaker 1: then consumer end, the smarter each link in chain going 292 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:03,680 Speaker 1: all the way back to production can be. Right. So 293 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:06,400 Speaker 1: you were talking about giving incentives to customers to not 294 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:10,280 Speaker 1: use to not stuck up power at peak demands, Well, 295 00:15:10,280 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 1: how is that going to help a distribution point because 296 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:16,640 Speaker 1: maybe they will not have as many outages going on. Yeah, 297 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:18,920 Speaker 1: it's kind of like we were talking. We kept talking 298 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 1: about hamburgers when we're going over this before because it's 299 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:24,880 Speaker 1: like because it's lunch time. Yeah, but it's like, you know, 300 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:27,040 Speaker 1: it's like imagine you have a table and there and 301 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:30,840 Speaker 1: they're being sent four hamburgers. Whether they're gonna eat it, 302 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 1: you know, is a is a different, different issue. But 303 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 1: there's something sent four hamburgs, but maybe they only need three. 304 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:38,320 Speaker 1: Smart grid is like knowing that they only need three 305 00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:43,720 Speaker 1: hamburgers at this time, so you don't send five. Yeah, 306 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:45,960 Speaker 1: we're getting smart about our hamburgers and our power, using 307 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 1: more Hamburger analogies to come. So so yeah, the distribution 308 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 1: area involves that also involves something called phase or management units, 309 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:56,160 Speaker 1: which is just allows us to keep more precise tabs 310 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 1: on electrical usage in the smart grid and take a 311 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:02,280 Speaker 1: lot of the guesswork again and out of supplying it. Alright, 312 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:04,760 Speaker 1: so let's move on up to the substation. Yeah, this 313 00:16:04,880 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 1: again is where transformers convert high to low voltage or 314 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 1: the reverse. And an example of a smart gride optimization 315 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:16,640 Speaker 1: at this point would be monitoring and correcting the voltage 316 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:20,000 Speaker 1: and the transformers. All right, we're talking really basically real 317 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:24,840 Speaker 1: time ability to monitor and tweak millions of transformers and 318 00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 1: reduce wasted power and improve in efficiency. So again, it's 319 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:31,840 Speaker 1: that it's the smart the smart meter in the home, 320 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 1: like all that information, like going back up the chain. Yeah, 321 00:16:35,240 --> 00:16:37,280 Speaker 1: it's pretty cool. The system would detect a higher low 322 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:40,720 Speaker 1: voltage level of reading um that's exceeding the normal threshold, 323 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:43,560 Speaker 1: and it could automatically send this corrective action to adjust 324 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:47,160 Speaker 1: the voltage back to normal. Yeah, and it and apparently 325 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:48,400 Speaker 1: in a lot a lot of cases you would have 326 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:50,960 Speaker 1: people who would in the past would be underjuiced, you know, 327 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 1: it wouldn't be getting enough power, but more often than 328 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 1: not overjuiced. So I think you're overjuiced on regular basis, dude. Yea, 329 00:16:58,120 --> 00:16:59,880 Speaker 1: you know there's a lot of free coffee around here 330 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:02,680 Speaker 1: that up. But but but anyway, Yeah, it's it's like 331 00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:04,800 Speaker 1: be down to the hamburgers again. It's like preventing a 332 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:07,159 Speaker 1: situation when we're sending five hamburgers to a table that 333 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 1: only needs three. Yeah. I thought this was really interesting 334 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:12,240 Speaker 1: and I'm glad you brought it up because historically the 335 00:17:12,320 --> 00:17:15,119 Speaker 1: utility companies have had little control beyond the substation, and 336 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:18,120 Speaker 1: that's where we're at right now in the chain, uh 337 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:22,640 Speaker 1: talking about so North American utility is being highly riscoversed. 338 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:25,400 Speaker 1: Have never really wanted to admit to problems of low 339 00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:29,960 Speaker 1: voltage and supplying the voltage to customers that can regularly occur, 340 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 1: and so the challenge of optimizing the energy going to 341 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:37,840 Speaker 1: this huge network from the substation meant that, yeah, some 342 00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:40,000 Speaker 1: consumers were going to have to live with this low 343 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:43,679 Speaker 1: subpart voltage. All right, Now we're going to roll up 344 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:46,879 Speaker 1: another link on the chain back towards power generation, this 345 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:49,680 Speaker 1: time transmission, and we're not going to spend much time 346 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:52,400 Speaker 1: on this one either. This one is basically we can 347 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:56,359 Speaker 1: start using super conducting cables to reduce line loss, so 348 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:59,560 Speaker 1: less electricity is lost in transit on the lines, and 349 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:02,639 Speaker 1: your three to five times and more power. Yeah, it 350 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 1: sounds pretty smart to me. And so now we roll 351 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:08,080 Speaker 1: back one more and now we're at the generation level. Yeah, 352 00:18:08,119 --> 00:18:10,560 Speaker 1: the point of generation, whether whether it's the coal plants 353 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:12,960 Speaker 1: and the nuclear power plants or whatever we're talking about. 354 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:15,879 Speaker 1: And sadly, we still are talking a lot about coal 355 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:18,560 Speaker 1: and more more and more though natural gas right now, 356 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:21,879 Speaker 1: and even if alternative energy like wasn't in the picture. 357 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:25,560 Speaker 1: At the very least, it would be a situation where 358 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:28,640 Speaker 1: we wouldn't be rolling out more and more like coal 359 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:32,000 Speaker 1: power plants, more and more natural gas to solve a problem, 360 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:36,960 Speaker 1: you know, uh bye bye. By making everything on the 361 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:39,119 Speaker 1: rest of the chain smarter, we're not having to just 362 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:44,080 Speaker 1: create extra energy to account for shortfalls, right I started 363 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:46,720 Speaker 1: think of it. Um. Here in Atlanta, we like to 364 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:51,480 Speaker 1: build highways, right yes, And instead of building um, you know, 365 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:55,480 Speaker 1: train system or more efficient highways, usually we just add 366 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:58,879 Speaker 1: a lane to the highway, right yeah, exactly, that's the 367 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:03,040 Speaker 1: perfect perfect picture to paint. Yeah, it's instead of adding 368 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:05,800 Speaker 1: just more and more lanes, so you have this just ridiculous, 369 00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:09,840 Speaker 1: ungodly um. You know, a thick road that scares my 370 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:12,720 Speaker 1: mother to death. You would actually you know, it's like, actually, 371 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:15,600 Speaker 1: let's streamline the system. Let's let's make the system smarter, 372 00:19:16,119 --> 00:19:18,840 Speaker 1: not um, just more out of control and just you know, 373 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:26,280 Speaker 1: increase the base. Um. But the the the integration of 374 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:29,679 Speaker 1: renewables and alternative energy sources is a part of the 375 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:32,240 Speaker 1: smart grid and part of the plans for a smart 376 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:34,879 Speaker 1: grid future. UM. One of the problems, though, is you 377 00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:39,080 Speaker 1: can't necessarily count on some of these uh, these renewable 378 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 1: energies as as well, like take wind energy. Right, so 379 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 1: you mentioned the Great Texas Window of two thousand eight 380 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 1: where wind energy drops substantially in just three hours, and 381 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:52,960 Speaker 1: the amount that was lost was comparable to basically losing 382 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:56,359 Speaker 1: a large sized conventional power plant um in the system. 383 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:59,600 Speaker 1: Operators that were unfortunately working that day, they had to 384 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:02,800 Speaker 1: resort your emergency demand response, which meant they were cretailing 385 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:06,360 Speaker 1: power to interruptable customers in order to avoid a blackout. Yeah, 386 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:09,320 Speaker 1: and it's it's the weather, yes, And the weather is 387 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:12,640 Speaker 1: is basically not a predictable thing. I mean, we can 388 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:16,520 Speaker 1: forecast it to a limited degree within a very limited timeframe, 389 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:20,800 Speaker 1: and if you can't really book for energy as much 390 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 1: on it. So that's just the reality of that. Now 391 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:27,960 Speaker 1: that this this is where a storage issue comes into play. 392 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:30,720 Speaker 1: Like one of the big things about electricity is that 393 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:33,760 Speaker 1: for the most part, um, we have to use it 394 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:37,360 Speaker 1: as soon as we make it. Um. To go back 395 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:40,080 Speaker 1: to the hamburgers, It's like, imagine if there was no 396 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:43,280 Speaker 1: freezer in the back with extra hamburgers. All the hamburgers 397 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 1: are on the grill, you know, and we're cooking them 398 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:48,439 Speaker 1: and we're just gonna have to eat them, and if 399 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:52,000 Speaker 1: we don't use them, we're gonna waste them. And you know, 400 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 1: it's it's it's it's that kind of situation. And and sadly, 401 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:58,800 Speaker 1: the storage isn't isn't. The storage technology is is developing. 402 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:00,800 Speaker 1: We have some some very good storage going on in places, 403 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 1: but not to the point where where we can, you know, say, like, oh, 404 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:06,280 Speaker 1: summers coming up, we need to you know, we need 405 00:21:06,320 --> 00:21:08,400 Speaker 1: to store a whole bunch of power away to deal 406 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:11,439 Speaker 1: with you know, those guys running a c out in California. Right. 407 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:13,800 Speaker 1: But to your point, batteries do back up the guts 408 00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:16,600 Speaker 1: of the grid you'd mentioned. In Charleston, West Virginia, there's 409 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:20,440 Speaker 1: a substation that unfortunately used to overheat every time too 410 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:22,960 Speaker 1: many customers do you current through it? So then what 411 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:25,520 Speaker 1: did American Electric Power do? They installed the battery, just 412 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:30,440 Speaker 1: play electricity on peak demands and the substation stopped overheating. Similarly, 413 00:21:30,560 --> 00:21:33,040 Speaker 1: up in Alaska, they used to suffer outages with every 414 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:36,120 Speaker 1: glitch on the power line between Anchorage and Fairbanks, so 415 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:38,679 Speaker 1: they installed the soccer field size battery to cover the 416 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:42,720 Speaker 1: line during filling field size battery. It's crazy, it's a giant, 417 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:44,920 Speaker 1: giant battery, And I think that kind of like gives 418 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:47,560 Speaker 1: you an idea of what we're dealing with here. It's like, 419 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:51,920 Speaker 1: we just can't put soccer field size batteries everywhere, you know. Yeah, 420 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 1: I think by historic district people would yeah, really object 421 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:58,480 Speaker 1: to not like that. It comes back to the story 422 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:01,040 Speaker 1: we were talking about earlier with the shopper and the ant. 423 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:03,560 Speaker 1: Do I have this write the grasshopper, we just eat 424 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:05,120 Speaker 1: and eat and eat, and then the ant would store 425 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:07,800 Speaker 1: away for winter, and then winter comes and then the 426 00:22:08,119 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 1: ant the grasshoppers like, whoa, I don't have anything to eat, 427 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:14,080 Speaker 1: and the ants like silely, grasshopper, I got food back here. 428 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:17,920 Speaker 1: So we want to be like the ant in terms 429 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:21,359 Speaker 1: of our electricity usage, but we're really more like the 430 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:27,440 Speaker 1: grasshopper at this point. We're somewhere in between. Working towards anthem. Yeah, 431 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:30,560 Speaker 1: we're becoming smarter grasshoppers, and I think we're working towards 432 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:33,320 Speaker 1: the ultimate goal. Yeah, the ultimate The ultimate goal is 433 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:35,679 Speaker 1: is the is the smart grid we're talking about, just 434 00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:38,679 Speaker 1: like I say, making the chain between generation and usage 435 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:41,720 Speaker 1: smarter another uh, And this is where we tie back 436 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:45,840 Speaker 1: around to the user is um this this idea of 437 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:49,439 Speaker 1: distributed generation and storage. And this is where at the 438 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 1: user end of the chain, it's gonna way you. This 439 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:55,439 Speaker 1: is you like like, um, A rough example would be like, 440 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:57,600 Speaker 1: all right, you know it's gonna get get hot. You 441 00:22:57,640 --> 00:23:01,800 Speaker 1: might have some shortfalls getting some um some electricity during 442 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:03,840 Speaker 1: certain times of the year. So maybe you have a 443 00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:05,520 Speaker 1: lot of wind and you have a couple of wind 444 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:08,640 Speaker 1: nail wind turbine things put up right R two, couple 445 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:10,399 Speaker 1: of slap a couple of solar panels which you can 446 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:13,200 Speaker 1: rent now by the way. Oh cool, Yeah, yeah, solar panels, 447 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:15,479 Speaker 1: or you know, you're some sort of battery system, et 448 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:19,199 Speaker 1: cetera where you're doing you're generating or storing power on 449 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:22,600 Speaker 1: the user end to uh to sort of help out 450 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:25,240 Speaker 1: the supply coming in from the rest of the chain. Yeah, 451 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:28,200 Speaker 1: it's pretty cool. Yeah. So if you guys are using 452 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:30,760 Speaker 1: smart meters or of any experience with smart grid technology, 453 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:33,919 Speaker 1: we'd love to hear from you. Yeah, you know, regardless 454 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:36,119 Speaker 1: of your if you're like if you're part of like 455 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:38,800 Speaker 1: some sort of a test case in a particular city, 456 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:40,520 Speaker 1: or if you're just doing a lot of stuff on 457 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 1: your own end to just you know, sort of force 458 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:45,200 Speaker 1: the smart grid at the local level. Tell us about that. 459 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:46,919 Speaker 1: We'd love to hear about it. Yeah, send us an 460 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:49,520 Speaker 1: email that science stuff at how stuff works dot com. 461 00:23:49,560 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 1: And meanwhile, we'll be chatting up smart grids on Facebook 462 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:55,359 Speaker 1: and Twitter to where on Facebook you can find us 463 00:23:55,359 --> 00:23:58,720 Speaker 1: a stuff from the Science Lab and Twitter we are 464 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:01,560 Speaker 1: labs stuff. R L is the master of tweeting, so 465 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 1: be sure to tune in check out his tweets. So 466 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:06,240 Speaker 1: thanks for listening. Uh, tune back in next week and 467 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 1: we'll have two more exciting podcast about something from the 468 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:13,560 Speaker 1: wide world of science. Yeah, and thanks for listening. Guys. 469 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:23,800 Speaker 1: For more on this and thousands of other topics because 470 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:27,320 Speaker 1: it how stuff works dot com. Want more how stuff works, 471 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:29,760 Speaker 1: check out our blogs on the house stuff works dot 472 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:30,520 Speaker 1: com home page.