This smartweek I used my smartinternet to look up a
smartarticle about smartgrid smarttechnology for a smarthome or smartoffice and
used my smartface to think up a
smartcakethatlookslikeoneofthetechnologiesthatlookedcoolinthearticle. STOP
THAT.
So the idea behind smart[insert whatever] is the automation
of (often) simple but highly useful tasks that are influenced by information
gathered from a “smart” device. So when people talk about the “grid” they are
talking about the existing network/infrastructure that delivers energy to you.
Concatenate smart to grid (uh oh, someone has been programming at work!!) and
you get a “smartgrid”, where the devices of suppliers (energy plants) and
consumers (houses) get chatty with each other in order to use energy as
efficiently as possible.
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| I foreshadow so good. |
By improving knowledge about when, where, and how much
energy is being used, the suppliers can create better infrastructure. Business
plans can also be altered that effect electricity pricing at different parts of
the day based off of demand. On the consumer end, devices be creepin’ on you
and all your energy. This info along with pricing/demand is used to regulate
your electricity usage, called “demand response”.
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| I give you, the CAKELET! |
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| The real guy. |
The device I decided to cakify is called “The Modlet” by ThinkEco. This cute little dude helps to reduce the amount of power your
appliances draw when they are plugged in but not in use (I’m lookin at you cell
phone charger). The Cakelet is frosted with a cool whip vanilla frosting. The
plugs are made of chocolate, and the button on the top was made by putting way
to much effort to lay down lemon and lime zest.
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| The Cakelet in off mode, being all energy efficient with my phone. |
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| Tasted awesome while eating it. Stopped tasting while I wasn't eating it. Cakelet. |
Yea I plugged my iphone into the cake, best idea I’ve had
for this blog! The inside of the Cakelet is made of a conductively vanilla
lemon cake with a layer of electric lemon curd filling.
The Modlet goes under the BAMF category of smart outlets, by
wirelessly communicating with other Modlets and a usb connected to your
computer, you get a readout of how much energy your appliances are wasting.
With this info you can schedule times for the Modlet to cut off power. The
company claims to cut your energy bill down by 10%, paying for the cost of the
device within a year.
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| ;D |
The only problem is when devices like TiVo decide they need 15 minutes to boot up. Hopefully as the grid gets smart these dumbvices that constantly require power will develop a better off mode.
I could go on and on about the “smart grid” and how sexy it
is for creating sustainability on many so many levels. But alas, I must heed
the call of the oven. Fear not, I’ll definitely revisit the grid in a future
technomogy post.
