From Strain to Support: Your AC Could Help Stabilize the Power Grid

From strain to support: Your AC could help stabilize the power grid

As summer arrives, people are turning on air conditioners in most of the U.S. But if you’re like me, you always feel a little guilty about that. Past generations managed without air conditioning—do I really need it? And how bad is it to use all this electricity for cooling in a warming world? If I leave my air conditioner off, I get too hot. But if everyone turns on their air conditioner at the same time, electricity demand spikes, which can for…

Air-Conditioning Can Help the Power Grid instead of Overloading It

Switching on air-conditioning during extreme heat doesn’t have to make us feel guilty—it can actually boost power grid reliability and help bring more renewable energy online