Having a smart thermostat does have its advantages – especially when you consider how those who have made use of a Nest learning thermostat reported substantial savings in their monthly gas bill despite the Nest itself replacing an already programmable and programmed thermostat. Having said that, what would it be like if each home were to be fitted with a smart thermostat? Just imagine the amount of energy savings that we can see here. ComEd, the largest power company in Illinois, intends to see this reality happen by the year 2020.
How will they ensure that this move will take place, taking into consideration how the company has more than 3.8 million customers? For starters, the company hopes to kickstart a major smart thermostat push by offering $120 rebates on Nest and Ecobee thermostats – and that would translate to close to half the amount should folks want to pick either up, and it also means that your return on investment would be fulfilled in just a year’s time for the average homeowner.
Their ultimate goal? ComEd, alongside other gas utilities, are working hard to ensure that they can install 1 million units by the time 2020 arrives. Do you think that such a heavy rebate is the way to move forward?
Filed in .. Source: treehugger