Would you let a company control your home thermostat to help Memphis Light, Gas & Water (MLGW) and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) save energy at peak-demand times?
MLGW and TVA announced a new program Tuesday that would do just that. The Smart Thermostat Rewards program will pay residential customers to conserve electricity when demand spikes.
TVA will pay customers $65 to enroll in the program. If they participate in at least 65 percent of the energy savings events, they’ll get $65 annually.
“Customers who participate will allow their thermostat to be temporarily adjusted — by no more than four degrees for no more than four hours — on high-energy-demand days,” reads a statement from MLGW. “Thermostat companies, not MLGW or TVA, will make the temperature adjustment remotely.
“Participants will receive an in-app notification of each energy event from their thermostat company and may choose to opt-out of events at any time, maintaining full control of their thermostat.”
To enroll, participants must:
• Be an MLGW residential customer.
• Have an eligible Wi-Fi enabled smart thermostat in the home or purchase a smart thermostat through the program.
• Maintain an always-on and stable home Wi-Fi network connected to the internet.
• Have an HVAC unit connected to their smart thermostat.
“We are empowering customers to be smart energy consumers while helping them enjoy the financial benefits of energy conservation,” said MLGW president and CEO Doug McGowen. “Integrating the power grid with smart home technologies will help meet our region’s growing energy needs while saving consumers money on their power bills.”
