However unintentional, this is shaping up to be ‘Green Week’ on Bitness. Google.org just released a list of partners (typically power companies) from all over the world, who will install ‘smart meters’ that interface with and provide data to Google’s PowerMeter gadget.

The PowerMeter Gadget can tell you how much it costs to make toast, what your TV addiction means to your bank account or if which appliance is the biggest energy hog of the bunch (and may need replacing). You can also compare your energy efficiency to similar homes in your neighborhood. Unfortunately, not every utility company is working with Google.org, but they plan to expand the roll-out of Google PowerMeter later in 2009.

Here’s what one user had to say…

“I put the sound system, DVD player and VCR on power strips. I learned that my computer wasn’t sleeping properly, and started putting it on Standby when not in use. I cleaned the coils in my refrigerator (which hadn’t been cleaned in 15 years! Yikes!). Before I made these changes, my baseline load was around 360 W, afterwards, it was slightly under 200 W – this will save me about $150 / year.”
Alec, Mechanical Engineer

https://youtube.com/watch?v=6Dx38hzRWDQ%26hl

Posted by: Lawrence