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Inlet-Outlet Lets You Give Back Energy to the Grid

February 4, 2009 By 11 Comments
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It’s hard not to continue coverage of the Greener Gadgets Design Competition with so many great entries. The most recent gadget to catch my eye is the Inlet-Outlet, which grants easy access to good Samaritan-hood by letting you give power back to the grid.

The device’s creators speculate that adapter kits could be sold to make common household appliances into inlet-ready devices. For example, an inlet could be placed behind your refrigerator to capture excess heat and convert it into electricity.

The inlet could also work in commercial settings— a gym could pair each electrical bike with an inlet and become a mini-power plant.

If every household had an inlet and consumers were given some sort of incentive to use it, imagine how much extra energy could be generated.

Photo Credit: Greener Gadgets Design Competition

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  • duh

    this product will work swimmingly and as for eric with his stealing idea… the power going into the inlet will be dc current and will have to be converted to a/c so basically if you do that then you will blow the system…. but think of all the applications…all the things that generate heat why not put little turbines in our water pipes… put little turbines in gutter downspouts… wont produce a lot but every little bit helps

  • duh

    this product will work swimmingly and as for eric with his stealing idea… the power going into the inlet will be dc current and will have to be converted to a/c so basically if you do that then you will blow the system…. but think of all the applications…all the things that generate heat why not put little turbines in our water pipes… put little turbines in gutter downspouts… wont produce a lot but every little bit helps

  • Will

    Guys – you do realise that your ‘inlet’ is electrically the same as the ‘outlet’?

    You don’t need another plug, just aslong as your generator isn’t trying to generate at a different voltage/amperage than what the standard house wiring can accept, it’ll be A-OK.

  • Will

    Guys – you do realise that your ‘inlet’ is electrically the same as the ‘outlet’?

    You don’t need another plug, just aslong as your generator isn’t trying to generate at a different voltage/amperage than what the standard house wiring can accept, it’ll be A-OK.

  • rexeven

    In most states the electric company will let you sell back power. But they make YOU pay for the two-way meter and anything else required to make it safe ( which can add up to a lot if your house/electrical system isn’t up to par). Also where I live (KY) they will only let you sell back as much as you use. In other words once you pay your bill, they won’t pay you for anything extra you generate. Screw power companies!

  • rexeven

    In most states the electric company will let you sell back power. But they make YOU pay for the two-way meter and anything else required to make it safe ( which can add up to a lot if your house/electrical system isn’t up to par). Also where I live (KY) they will only let you sell back as much as you use. In other words once you pay your bill, they won’t pay you for anything extra you generate. Screw power companies!

  • Dre

    You could have been gaming it another way for a while if you had the space and capital. Get a garden shed full of batteries and download your power at night, and sell it back during peak hours.

    More importantly – what kind of limits do the electric co’s place on selling back power via a 2-way meter – anyone savvy on that?

  • Dre

    You could have been gaming it another way for a while if you had the space and capital. Get a garden shed full of batteries and download your power at night, and sell it back during peak hours.

    More importantly – what kind of limits do the electric co’s place on selling back power via a 2-way meter – anyone savvy on that?

  • Ariel Schwartz

    Eric – Good (and devious) point! Never thought of that.

  • Eric

    If they end up paying people for electricity fed back into the grid, what’s to stop me from rigging up a cord with a regular socket on one end (attached to my neighbor’s outdoor socket and buried underground) and an inlet socket on the other? Free money!

  • Eric

    If they end up paying people for electricity fed back into the grid, what’s to stop me from rigging up a cord with a regular socket on one end (attached to my neighbor’s outdoor socket and buried underground) and an inlet socket on the other? Free money!

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