Can IBM help cut your energy bill? | CNET News.com

Can IBM help cut your energy bill? CNET News.com: "Imagine a future in which your electricity meter sends you an e-mail to alert you that your monthly power bill is over budget and then turns down the thermostat automatically.
It's a future that's not too far off for 300 households in Washington state and Oregon who've volunteered to test new 'intelligent' power grid technology being developed by IBM, Whirlpool and the U.S. Department of Energy.
IBM and the Department of Energy announced two 'GridWise' studies on Tuesday, hailing them as a path to a cleaner, more energy-efficient future for the nation and lower bills for consumers. The main idea behind one of the one-year studies is to alert customers to how much energy they're consuming in real-time prices and prompt them to lower their usage, especially during peak rates.
The Department of Energy, through its Pacific Northwest National Lab, plans to reward participants who shift energy use in response to real-time market pricing with cash.
'In this test, consumers will receive real-time pricing information on their energy usage/costs and can adjust accordingly,' IBM said in a statement. 'For example, homeowners will be able to set how much they want to spend per month on energy and also be alerted when usage should be modified to defray strain on the grid and save money.' "