The problem is that with modern fridges energy consumption is already low enough that steering that through smart meters probably isn't worth the investment. Large companies could use that, esp with electric heating. But in residential areas, I think energy efficiency can still yield greater results.
There should just be a common protocol for all electical devices - heaters, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, computers, TVs, toasters - everything. Some devices might ignore it, but they should still have the data port and the microcontroller responding with "power regulation not supported". The state should regulate that like it regulates normal power sockets, it's a net benefit for everybody and the cost is minimal.
We can just add usb port to regular wall sockets and make a new power plug with that.
Of course the socket should be backward compatible, but any new devices would require the full plug and responding to the protocol.
Over 10 years we could have an effective grid-wide gigawatthour battery. And everybody would only pay for it like 5 USD every time they buy a new device :)
The cost of a cheap microcontroller, power regulator and an usb plug is like <5 USD. And the possibilities of energy savings are huge. There are also big usability improvements (want to have lights learning your habits and pretending you're home when you're on vacations - someone will make that product).
Want to make sure you switched off that iron when you went to a party? No problem - connect with a smarpthone and check (and switch it off if needed).
There could be several categories of devices with different priorities and default power settings that you could change if you want to:
- background, critical
- background, optional
- background, opportunistic
- interactive, critical
- interactive, optional
- interactive, dangerous if left alone
- bidirectional (like Tesla wall, or a car charger if you want to power your house from your car battery when there is a blackout)
And the house could detect if you're home, and disable the iron if you're not and throttle the freezer and all heaters to optimize the power usage.
Automated vacuum cleaners nad chargers could start by themselves when the energy is effectively free and stop for a moment when there's a shortage.
This will get especially important when electric cars are more common - you don't want everybody to start charging them when they get back home.
I do agree with your overall suggestion, but it would be a mission impossible to change sockets. Indeed, technology for communication over power-lines are nothing new, and doesn't require a new socket/wiring:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power-line_communication
A grid supply status, could empower next gen energy saving home appliances. This could be implemented as simple as pricing, the ultimate incentive. Price would fluctuate on the wire, just like it does for energy market.
> it would be a mission impossible to change sockets
Why? I lived through one such change in last 30 years (switching from 2-pole europlugs to CEE 7/7). They are backward-compatible, but so would be the usb+power plugs.
We also switched from 60 Hz 240V to 50Hz 230V some time in 00s (don't remember exacty, it was a non-event).
As for incentives new electronic devices should simply be reqired to have these plugs and microcontrollers, like now we require them to have fuses and certain wire gauge, etc.
Adding a data bus to all lines would be a much bigger deal than changing sockets for existing lines or running a slightly different voltage (often within tolerance of the power supplies anyway!) over the same wires.
And USB isn't meant to operate over those long distances. So you'd either need some active component in each socket or devise a new standard.
