The homeowners could set preferences by computer and remotely change preferences while away from home. According to the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, use of this method could save $120 billion in power plants and transmission lines that won't have to be built.

A companion study called the Grid Friendly appliance project fitted 150 homes in Oregon and Washington with "smart" dryers and water heaters equipped with circuit boards to detect when the power grid is stressed. When that happens, the appliances restrict power use for a minute or two. "Grid friendly" circuit boards could be put in refrigerators, and other big appliances and it is expected that they will be routinely installed in major household appliances by 2020. If every big household appliance in the country were so fitted, the U.S. could cut electricity use by 20 percent, claims the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
While most of the technology needed for the smart grid is on hand now, it will take a decade or so before its use is widespread enough to notice major savings. In five years, the type of smart system used in the GridWise study will be available in 10 to 15 percent of U.S. homes and in 10 to 15 years in half the country.