Soon to arise from the persistently creative drawing boards in Mountain View will be the Google PowerMeter, a software tool that will run remotely through your computer to let you know, more specifically than you can learn from a simple electric bill, how much electricity is being used at a given moment in your home, so that you can zero in on the appliances, lights, and systems that are the biggest drains.
The utility, which is in beta testing, is designed to do the following, according to Google:
- Analyze: Get better information about how you use energy and what you can do to be more efficient.
- Save: Reduce your energy bills and carbon footprint by making smart decisions about your energy use.
- Share: Strike up a little friendly competition to see how your energy consumption compares to your friends and neighbors.
If you don't want to wait, or are concerned about having the details of your energy usage pass the prying eyes of strangers (yet another droplet in Big Brother's bucket) you could look at the PowerCost Meter from Blueline Innovations, reviewed here on NewEnergyWatch. It works on conventional electric meters, and the information from the meter travels only as far as your wireless monitor. It does not tell you specifically which appliances or lights are drawing power, but gives you a real-time readout of the wattage your home is using at any moment, and, with calibration, exactly what it's costing you.
Here's Google's FAQ file on the PowerMeter. It should help allay fears about any loss of privacy.
~ Doug Logan, New Energy Watch
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