Whirlpool Releases Woodridge Energy Study & Monitoring Pilot Project Report

Whirlpool Corp. is making available a study focused on whole-home energy use monitoring. The study summarizes a residential energy pilot run by Whirlpool from 2003-2006. The program helped consumers save money by shifting their energy consumption to the lower evening rate.

Each home in the study was equipped with three appliances that, once loaded with laundry or dishes, automatically started running when the electric rate dropped to the evening off-peak rate. In addition, each home was outfitted with a color touch-screen monitor that displayed real-time and historical data on each measured circuit in the home. The combination of the energy visibility technology and the pilot appliances showed a positive benefit for the consumers living in the test homes.

Detailed data downloaded from the consumer test systems has been graphed for data mining and for comparisons with national and regional averages. The data includes summarized load curves for various circuits in the home and for each major appliance individually. The extensive residential energy consumption report is available in a 99 page PDF file via the company's website.

In 2003, Whirlpool Corp. initiated the energy conservation innovation project with a consumer study covering energy usage visibility, monitoring, and appliance load peak shifting. The Woodridge Project, named for the Michigan housing community where it was initiated, was an opportunity for Whirlpool to take the leadership role in the study of several key concepts in consumer energy use and energy consumption lifestyle choices. Because managing energy in complex appliance processes is difficult or impossible to do external to the appliance itself, Whirlpool invested in this research to understand future energy trends, solutions, and technology to further the consumers' ability to manage energy use in a non-intrusive manner. The report data will also guide future development of technology supporting the energy-managed home.

"In the future, we believe energy consumption will be managed in a cooperative manner," states Gale Horst, Lead Engineer and Project Manager. "The technology in these appliances will allow consumers to manage energy consumption in a way that reduces the need for additional power generating plants. Consumers who understand their energy consumption patterns will be able to both contribute to these efforts as well as enjoy a substantial savings in their energy costs."