I wonder if we will ever get appliances that respond to the grid, a freezer that drops its temperature a couple of degrees because energy is cheap or a washing machine that waits an hour because it is expensive.
I suspect there is quite a bit of personal demand that could be shifted easily.
Yup, pretty sure we will. Actually, they've been around for a couple of years now [1, 2]. I think there are smart-grid-enabled electrical heating systems as well.
"Smartening" appliances can lead to surprising security issues [3] as well. If you have the time (and interest) for an entertaining primer into the subject, watch any of Mikko Hyppönnen's recent Talks explaining "Hyppönnen's Law".
When I lived in Zambia, Africa in 2005 there were refrigerators made by South African companies for countries without 24 hour power. Similar idea to this, really.
My house has a smart power meter in it that reduces/shuts off AC during times of peak demand (as commanded by the power company, PEPCO). In return you get a certain amount off each bill.
I suspect there is quite a bit of personal demand that could be shifted easily.