Re: A research team has managed to coordinate 100 domestic air conditioners to stabilise the power grid in real time, as if they were a flexible power plant.

On 6/15/2025 12:40 AM, Carlos E.R. wrote:

On 2025-06-15 00:29, Don Y wrote:

On 6/14/2025 2:53 PM, Carlos E.R. wrote:

That's not what they are doing. They are changing the load in tiny parts of the cycle, 50 or 60 times per second. Changing the load waveform.

>
No, they are deferring the start of the compressor and/or blower.

 I understand they are adjusting the frequency.

"The air conditioners were connected to control boards capable of modifying
the on/off cycle of the compressor depending on the frequency of the grid."
I.e., deciding when the compressor would run and when it would NOT run.
E.g., They aren't talking about using VFDs for the compressors.
Rather, they are trying to alter when compressors are engaged to better
balance the load so a given "supply" can remain more constant.
[The frequency of the supply varies depending on how outsized the
load happens to be at any given point in time]

My AC doesn't have a thermostat,

Then how does it know when to run and not run?

it is continuously adjusted in tiny power adjustments with an inverter. Switching a thermostat on/off would destroy it.

So, in winter, it still cools?