A smart home in action
It’s 6:00 p.m. on a weekday. You’ve just finished work, and without lifting a finger, your smart home has already adapted to your routine. The thermostat sets the perfect temperature before you step inside. As the sun sets, your smart lights switch on automatically, and your smart plug turns off the living room fan once that cooler air settles in. Meanwhile, your electric car is charging during off-peak hours, saving you money on electricity without any extra effort.
Across the city, thousands of households use smart devices to adjust temperatures, power down unused appliances, or schedule charging. Together, these small actions work on a larger scale: easing demand on the electric grid, reducing the risk of blackouts, and making energy consumption smarter and more sustainable.
The big impact of small energy choices
Smart devices don’t just about make your life more convenient; they actually help keep the power on for everyone. When thousands of people use smart devices, it impacts the whole community.
How smart devices help support the electrical grid
- It starts at home. Smart devices like thermostats, plugs, and chargers help you manage energy use by making automatic adjustments based on your preferences, like scheduling your car to charge at night. These tools add convenience while quietly working behind the scenes to optimize energy use.
- Your devices connect to the grid. When enrolled in a demand response (DR) program, your utility can communicate with your smart devices during peak times, like when energy demand is unusually high. They send signals to adjust participating devices slightly — without compromising your comfort.
“Over my time working at EnergyHub, I've seen these programs not only develop strategies to successfully shift energy during peak times, but also focus on making as minimal an impact on participating customers' comfort as possible while doing so,”
Anna-Lisa Donofrio, Growth Product Manager at EnergyHub.
- The grid leverages your smart devices during peak times. Instead of relying on expensive backup generators, the grid uses small energy adjustments from enrolled smart devices to reduce demand during busy periods. You likely won’t notice these changes, as they are minor and designed to keep your home comfortable.
- Scaling up to community impact. When thousands of households participate in DR programs, their combined energy savings ease strain on the grid and reduce the risk of blackouts. Together, they make energy usage more efficient and reliable.
- What’s in it for you? DR programs offer perks like rebates, bill credits, or gift cards for enrolling your smart devices. You save money while enjoying hassle-free comfort, since adjustments are subtle and automated.
- More participation, bigger impact. The more people who enroll their smart devices in these programs, the better the grid performs for everyone. It’s a simple way to support reliable electricity while benefiting your household and your community.
What is a smart device?
A smart device is any electronic device that can connect to the internet or other networks, enabling remote control, automation, and personalization. Smart devices, such as thermostats, plugs, water heaters, and EV chargers are designed to make everyday life more convenient and efficient while helping users manage energy consumption.
Do all smart devices work together? Not all smart devices are connected directly to one another, but most can be controlled through a central app or hub, allowing you to manage multiple devices from a single platform. Even standalone devices that operate independently still contribute to smarter energy use. Whether connected or working individually, these devices do more than add convenience; they help reduce energy demand, lower costs, and support the electric grid.
How does demand response work?
Demand response is a way for utilities to reduce the amount of electricity being used during times of high demand. They do this by working with your smart devices to make small, automatic adjustments that ease strain on the grid without disrupting daily routines. It helps prevent power outages and keeps the grid running smoothly, allowing you to play a key role in keeping the energy grid reliable while benefiting directly from reduced costs and perks.
By participating in a DR program, you can enjoy perks like gift cards and bill credits while helping create a more efficient and affordable energy system. It’s a simple, automated way to save money and support your community.
Smart devices can help manage energy use in a few simple ways:
- Smart thermostats: adjust temperatures slightly during peak hours.
- Smart plugs: temporarily pause non-essential devices.
- Smart EV chargers: delay charging until demand drops.
Participation is simple, and many utilities offer incentives or bill credits for enrolling devices. Using smart devices in this way helps homeowners support a stable energy system while taking advantage of modern technology, the exact benefits that federal and state programs aim to encourage.Want to learn more about how these programs work? Check out our Beginner’s Guide to Demand Response blog to learn more.
Why smart devices matter
Smart devices help make energy use smarter and more sustainable. By reducing energy demand during busy times, they prevent outages and lower electricity costs. Many smart devices can even analyze your energy habits to save you more money and reduce waste without you needing to do anything.
One example is smart thermostats, which use features like sensors and geo-fencing to learn your schedule and automatically adjust temperatures accordingly. They help you avoid unnecessary heating or cooling, cutting costs while keeping your home comfortable. In fact, users with models that meet Energy Star criteria save an average of 8 percent on their utility bills.By connecting technology, behavioral insight, and sustainability, smart devices empower consumers to use energy more wisely while supporting a more resilient and cleaner energy grid. Whether it’s a single smart thermostat trimming a household’s utility bill or thousands of connected devices working together to balance demand, these technologies demonstrate how small, everyday innovations can deliver measurable benefits for both people and the planet.
How to enroll your smart devices in a demand response program
Getting started with smart devices is easy:
- Take stock of devices in your home, including thermostats, plugs, water heaters, and EV chargers.
- Check your utility’s website to see if they offer demand response programs with incentives, rebates, or bill credits.
- Make sure your devices are compatible with the program’s platform or app.
Even enrolling a single device can contribute to a more stable grid, reduce emissions, and lower household energy costs. Smart devices not only make your home life more convenient — they also help your community and the environment.