This article just blows me away. I can totally see this being a hot item in places where electricity is sold at different rates throughout the day. I think I remember that they are testing that sales model in BC somewhere.
[quote]The device, called GridPoint Protect, is the size of a small file cabinet and connects to the circuitbreaker panel. (The company also offers a lower-capacity version designed for homes, which costs $10,000.) A built-in computer powered by a Pentium chip will make intelligent purchase decisions, buying when prices are low, then storing the electricity for later use. That will make it possible to run your company during the workday with cheaper electricity that you purchased at 3 A.M.
Corsell, 28, estimates that his device will shave a business’s electric bill by about 15%. Assuming monthly charges of $2,500, the system would pay for itself in less than four years.
GridPoint Protect offers a second function: Because it stores electricity, it can double as a backup generator that is safer and faster than many models currently available. Standard generators run on gas or diesel, and their carbon-monoxide exhaust fumes can be dangerous. By contrast, GridPoint Protect uses safer gel-style batteries, similar to those that back up cellphone towers. Standard generators also take a few seconds to power up, but GridPoint Protect kicks in within about 30 milliseconds, fast enough to prevent a company’s computers or other sensitive devices from crashing.[/quote]
Mike