Demand Response: Using Electricity at the Right Time
MEA (Metropolitan Electricity Authority) offers Time-of-Use pricing with on-peak rates approximately 60% higher than off-peak. Even under standard progressive rates, shifting consumption from peak to off-peak periods yields significant savings. Demand Response automation does this transparently — users never notice the optimization.
Pre-Cooling Strategy
Before on-peak hours begin at 09:00, Home Assistant activates A/C to 20°C for 90 minutes (off-peak electricity). The thermal mass of the building absorbs the cooling, maintaining 24–26°C indoor temperatures for 2–3 hours into the peak period with minimal A/C operation — at off-peak rates rather than peak rates.
Load Shifting
High-wattage appliances (washing machine 500–1,000W, dryer 1,500–2,500W, dishwasher 1,200–1,500W) are deferred to 22:00–06:00 via smart plugs controlled by Home Assistant scheduling. The user requests a wash cycle at any time; the system queues it for off-peak execution.
Peak Demand Monitoring
Shelly EM tracks real-time total power draw. When consumption exceeds 5kW during on-peak hours, a LINE alert prompts the family to reduce load. Low-priority devices (decorative lighting, pool pump) auto-shut until consumption normalizes.
ROI Example
For a 600-unit/month Bangkok household, shifting 40% of consumption to off-peak saves approximately 384 THB/month (4,608 THB/year). Four smart plugs costing 2,000 THB total pay back in under 6 months.
EV Charging Optimization
For EV owners, charging represents 30–50% of total electricity cost. Scheduling charging from 23:00–05:00 (deepest off-peak) via Home Assistant OCPP integration saves 700–1,500 THB/month for vehicles driven 60–100 km/day.