Part of the reason our electrical grids have peak-load problems is that people have no way of knowing when to do tasks that are not time-sensitive, like turning on the dishwasher. If we could know when power is more precious, we could use less of it. A Smart Meter pilot project in the US shows that if American households could cut back electricity use by 7% during peak demand times, they would save $23 billion each year.

To read more in the New York Times, click here .