Google Tests Electricity Tracker

The news couldn’t have come at a better time. Cost conscious as we all are, we’ve always fretted about things such as our electricity bills. With the recession eating away everyone’s purses and homeowners trying to cut corners in all possible ways, this new service currently being tested by Google, consumers can monitor their home energy usage almost in real time. Environmental concerns are also driving much of the research in this field. It seems there is great demand for products such as this one that track energy usage.

About 40 million trackers are in use worldwide. Google says it believes another 100 million will be sold in the next few years. Google obviously wants to cash in on this opportunity, and is actively testing its own software prototype Power Meter. These days, you can manage almost anything online, be it your bank account or stock trades. Soon with Power Meter, you’ll be able to manage your power consumption the same way. Simply plug your appliance into the device, specify your electricity cost and it will calculate your bill.

Google Power Meter will receive information from smart meters and energy management devices and this information will be provided to anyone who signs up access to their home electricity consumption on the iGoogle homepage. Imagine the cost saving that can be brought about by the widespread use of this device. Studies show that such kind of information when made available to consumers, they’ll invariably be able to save 5 to 15 percent on their electricity bills. Google says that for every six households that save 10% on electricity, carbon emissions are reduced to the extent of taking one conventional car off the road.