A smart power outlet for electric devices that can benefit from Real-Time Pricing

Under Real-Time Pricing (RTP) the cost per kWh varies with time as a consequence of the changing supply and demand conditions in the market. Customers that are able to shift their electricity consumption patterns can reduce their costs by using their devices when price is low. This requires a smart power outlet that can turn itself on/off based on price, and customer preferences. This paper is about a smart power outlet that uses a Belkin WeMo Mini Smart Plug (WeMo) [1], which can be autonomously turned on/off using an Intel Edison (Edison) [2] through a WiFi connection. The JavaScript code, which runs on the Intel Edison, currently turns on (resp. off) the electric device that is connected to the WeMo if the current price is negative (resp. positive). This code can be modified to incorporate other criteria like customer preferences if necessary. Our ongoing work involves the design and validation of a suite of switching-algorithms for this platform.