Smart meters – those networked devices which let both you and your utility provider monitor your energy consumption real time through a networked platform like the Internet – are mostly designed to be installed and maintained by your power company. They are of very limited availability right now, depending upon where you live. Search engine giant Google is challenging this however, unveiling a new partnership and device which lets consumers monitor their energy usage patterns without needing to be partnered to a utility.
Google, through its originally only usable through power utilities Google PowerMeter service, is working with Energy, Inc to provide consumers the ability to purchase a TED (The Energy Detective) 5000, a stand alone energy monitor which pushes one’s energy usage data to the online company’s free software energy tool. With it, Google says, you can view and “understand your electricity usage to save energy and money.” The TED 5000, with a starting price of around $200, is on sale through the TED Web site as of now and the company making it is said by Google to be its first official device partner.
image via Energy Inc.
