The government of the state of Queensland, Australia plans to have devices fitted onto certain household appliances such as air conditioners, pool pumps, and hot water systems. These devices would allow energy companies to remotely cycle the use of these items during peak hours. Their plan also includes improving the efficiency of energy-using items, encouraging the use of oil instead of electricity, and giving financial incentives to consumers who use electricity during off-peak hours, when it is less expensive for energy companies to produce.[10]
In 2007, Toronto Hydro, the monopoly energy distributor of Ontario, had over 40,000 people signed up to have remote devices attached to air conditioners which energy companies use to offset spikes in demand. Spokeswoman Tanya Bruckmueller says that this program can reduce demand by 40 megawatts during emergency situations.[11]
California has several demand side management programs, including automated and critical peak pricing demand response programs for commercial and industrial customers as well as residential consumers, energy efficiency rebates, non-event based time-of-use pricing, special electric vehicle charging rates, and distributed storage. Some of these programs are slated to be added into the wholesale electricity market to be bid as "supply side" resources that can be dispatched by the system operator. Demand side management in the state will be increasingly important as the level of renewable generation approaches 33% by 2020, and is expected to be increased beyond that level in the long-term.