So you’ve signed up for OhmConnect because you heard you could get paid for using smart devices. But right about now you might be wondering … How does it actually work? And what’s this OhmHour thing you keep hearing about?
OhmHours and AutoOhms are energy saving events, usually an hour in length (but sometimes more or less), in which OhmConnect has committed to the grid that our members (you!) will save energy.
In short: The OhmHour and AutoOhms are where the magic happens.
To understand OhmHours, it helps to know a little bit about the electricity grid:
Most of the time, the energy market accurately predicts how much energy will be needed in a given region. But sometimes, people use more energy than forecasted, which means the grid will turn on a “fast-acting power plant” to balance the system.
While they may be quick and effective, these fast-acting power plants are terrible for the planet and our pocketbooks. They’re very expensive to operate, and they use fossil fuels pretty inefficiently. (On average, they produce 2 - 3x the carbon emissions that a typical power plant generates. That pollution spews out into the surrounding neighborhoods.)
By participating in an OhmHour or AutoOhm, you are helping your community avoid turning on dirty, expensive peaker plants is turned on.
The best part about all of this is that the folks running the electric grid would rather pay people to use less electricity rather than pay a power plant to turn on. Your household electricity reductions are sold back into the grid, a dirty power plant stays off, and we pass those earnings on to you. The grid stays balanced, less pollution is emitted, and best of all, it's people who get paid instead of power plants. It’s a win-win-win!
It goes a little something like this:
Both AutoOhms and OhmHours are ways for you to get paid for saving energy, but they’re slightly different.
OhmHours happen when the grid predicts an energy surge in the next 24 hours. AutoOhms happen when the grid is experiencing a surge in energy right now. -- so you may only receive a 15-minute warning.
That’s why it’s crucial to use connected devices, like a smart thermostat or smart plugs, and link them to OhmConnect so they can automatically power down.
