Randomized time offset ?
New overnight EV chargers in the UK are required to have a random offset from the specified start time to reduce the surge - it is a lot easier to cope with a demand that ramps up over 10 minutes than one that ramps up over 1 second.
"Smart" thermostats could employ the same feature. (Old fashioned mechanical time switches provided this feature by the inaccuracy of users setting the time.)
Biting the hand that feeds IT
