Many manufacturers now offer what are called smart appliances. These are appliances that you can connect remotely to home energy management systems and smart electric meters.
There are many benefits to making an investment in smart appliances. This advanced technology will automatically make adjustments when your electricity is most used. For example, it will delay your refrigerator's defrost cycle until the middle of the night when the cost of electricity is cheaper. That means you save on your utility bill, and you didn't even do anything to make it happen. You probably didn't even notice that there was a change at all.
Smart appliances ensure that you're using as much energy during off-peak hours as possible. Air conditioning systems, dishwashers, heat pumps, and refrigerators are just a few of the smart appliances that are manufactured today.
Your utility provider can help you learn more about time-based electricity rates and the different types of smart grid technologies available to consumers in your area. They can explain the energy plans that are available to you and what benefits you'd receive from each.