Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge
Smart home company Ecobee launched a new feature for its thermostats today that will automatically adjust temperatures to save energy when there’s a risk of a power outage. And unlike some utilities’ energy saving programs, customers will always be able to opt out with Ecobee.
Sudden spikes in electricity demand, often triggered by people cranking up their air conditioning during a heatwave, can lead to power outages. One of the most effective tools utilities have to prevent outages are programs that ask customers to conserve energy during those demand peaks, say, by turning down their thermostats.
Ecobee’s new product update offers something similar to residents in…
