Re: Smart appliances
"Smart appliances are potentially sensible and the only way smart metering can produce any significant benefit."
Maybe.
If we're moving (voluntarily or otherwise) towards time of use pricing, the price will presumably reflect the relationship between supply and demand on the grid. Every mains-powered appliance already has access to that, via the mains frequency: <50Hz, demand tending to exceed supply, spot price will be high, don't run the appliance. >50Hz, supply tending to exceed demand, spot price will be low, run the appliance.
$2ish (max) worth of extra electronics in the appliance, no need for smartmeter, no need for infrastructure changes.
See e.g. the long-abandoned website
http://www.dynamicdemand.co.uk/