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| reply to calvoiper
Re: what no
said by calvoiper  :As a way to handle sudden peaks, I can see this, but does it really shift that much load? I mean, maybe my A/C runs 75% of the time on the hottest day, but won't a 20 minute shutoff just be followed by enough continuous running that it won't make a real difference in load overall? Most electric utilities reach a peak between the hours of 17:00 and 20:00 in summer. Being able to turn off hundreds of HVAC units for 20 minutes in an offset fashion can shave the top of the peak off and permits the utility to avoid running expensive peaking capacity (e.g. pumped storage, combustion turbine, etc.) or purchasing expensive off-system energy (if any is even available).
Once the peak has passed, the staggered HVAC control can be returned to normal. Yes, many units will be running and will run for longer periods of time to make up for the lack of air conditioning during the 20 minute window, but if it's after peak the utility can usually handle it.
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