April 5, 2010 5:46 AM PDT
Tech coalition to Obama: Set home energy info free
by Martin LaMonica
A group of consumer technology companies, including Google, General Electric, and Intel, on Monday urged President Obama to create policies that give consumers better access to home energy information.
In a letter, 47 companies and nongovernmental organizations said that making detailed data on electricity and fuel use available to consumers is a key step toward meeting national energy and environmental goals.
Google has developed an application called PowerMeter that can take home electricity information and display it on a Web browser or smart phone.
(Credit: Google) Giving people "actionable information" through computers, smart phones, or in-home energy displays could "unleash the forces of innovation in home and business," according to the letter. If all U.S. households cut energy consumption by 15 percent over the next 10 years, the greenhouse gas reductions would be equivalent of taking 35 million cars off the road and save each customer $360 per year, or $46 billion.
Consumers should be able to see how electricity is consumed within the home, which will help them find ways to save energy. People should also have access to pricing information and find out the sources of their electricity supply, the letter said.
"Technologies exist today that can be deployed to achieve this goal. To ensure success, we need clear rules on consumer access to information; incentives to promote the deployment of technologies, including (utility) cost recovery; programs that educate and engage both providers and energy users; and encouragement of diverse technologies. Robust privacy and security protection for consumers and their information is essential," according to the letter.
The statement was made public in advance of an event to be hosted by Google on Tuesday at its Washington, D.C., office to discuss innovation in home energy use. Representatives from Google, Intel, smart-grid start-up Tendril, Whirlpool, the Federal Communications Commission, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the Climate Group are scheduled to speak.
Rather than propose one sweeping measure, the group that said information access should be a priority in a number of rules related to electricity distribution. The group also recommended an initiative among federal agencies, states, and industry to devise a strategy around consumers and energy information.
There are a growing number of tools to help consumers get detailed information on electricity use, many of which are being made available through utility smart-grid programs. The products surface electricity usage information that can, for example, show people electronics that are consuming power even when they aren't being used. Early tests have shown that real-time and daily electricity data can help consumers shave bills anywhere from a few percent to 10 percent or more in some cases.
With a two-way thermostat or home-automation network, a person could control heating and cooling and "smart appliances" remotely using a smart phone. They could also program applicances to take advantage of off-peak electricity rates. Many of these home-energy management systems rely on smart meters, though they are not always necessary.
Home energy displays show you the juice (photos)
Energy management tools can be an important component to home weatherization services, where energy auditors and contractors retrofit buildings to be more efficient, the letter noted.
Although some of these energy management systems can be sophisticated, there remain questions as to how much consumers will engage in tracking energy use over time, particularly if the process is complicated.
Regulations are also a barrier for many utility-led smart-grid programs, which sometimes subsidize installation of these tools because most utilities don't have a financial incentive to reduce the electricity use of their consumers.
Many consumer electronics companies are seeking to expand into home energy management, either by offering dedicated devices as Intel has proposed. Telecom providers or security service companies are also looking at adding energy monitoring to their existing services.
Other signers of the letter include the Consumer Electronics Assocation, the Green Electronics Council, AT&T, Nokia, Comcast, Best Buy, Dow, Verizon, green-tech venture capital companies, and environmental advocacy groups.
Showing posts with label PowerMeter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PowerMeter. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Intel, too, eyes home energy management
January 19, 2010 10:15 AM PST
by Martin LaMonica
Intel has designs on the nascent home energy management business, following Google, Microsoft, Apple, Panasonic, and dozens of smaller tech companies.
Intel last week launched a Web site dedicated to its Home Dashboard Concept, a touch-screen display designed to help families control and reduce energy use. The Atom-based device will let people record video messages to other family members and, through third-party applications, let people look up information on online yellow pages or track packages over the Internet.
Intel's Intelligent Home Energy Management Proof of Concept is an 11-inch touch screen that works like a remote control for home energy. The switch at the top lets people turn a home to 'away' mode, automatically adjusting security, thermostats, and cutting off stand-by power.
(Credit: Intel) For Intel, the energy dashboard is another attempt to crack into the consumer electronics market. "Computing in the home is going to be a lot more than just the PC," Intel CEO Paul Otellini said during a brief demo of the energy dashboard at CES.
Seeing a potential new revenue source, other tech companies are jockeying into home energy management with different technology approaches, a situation that's creating a crowded market of suppliers and myriad choices for consumers. Pike Research forecasts that there will be more than 28 million energy displays installed by 2015, with 11 million people accessing home energy data from Web-based dashboards and 2.6 million from mobile phones.
A patent application from Apple, unearthed last week, described a system to optimize power for a network of electronics, such as laptops, solar chargers, and iPods.
Apple characteristically is taking a somewhat unique approach, relying on a power line standard that would allow a dedicated Apple device to efficiently send power to plugged-in devices. Consumers could track electricity use and get ideas on how to reduce consumption through a small LCD screen, according to the patent.
Microsoft and Google have developed Web applications for tracking home energy use, although they differ significantly in features.
Microsoft is seeking to partner with utilities installing smart meters to offer its Hohm application to customers, who can get online access to utility bills and real-time snapshots of electricity use. For every consumer, though, Hohm provides recommendations on how to cut electricity and gas consumption, based on a lengthy questionnaire.
Google's PowerMeter, by contrast, is geared mainly at surfacing usage information to help consumers find ways to cut back on bills. It has signed on with a few utilities and smart meter makers to offer the energy-tracking dashboard through smart meters. It also offers that data through a home-monitoring device called The Energy Detective (TED) from Energy Inc., a company that 3M's venture arm invested in last week.
Whole-home monitoring
Intel's home energy dashboard is a more sophisticated version of existing whole-home monitoring products, such as TED. But Intel's approach suggests one route for getting the energy data promised by the smart grid without having to wait for smart meters to be installed and fully activated.
The Home Dashboard Concept is an energy-efficient OLED touch screen hung on a wall that acts as a hub to manage and monitor a network of devices. Intel recommends that people purchase smart plugs which, through a wireless network, will allow the central console to monitor and control devices. Once plugged in, people can see how much power TVs and other major appliances use, and set goals for reducing use.
Intel's home energy dashboard concept would use smart plugs to connect appliances to a central console for energy monitoring and control.
(Credit: Intel)
Because the dashboard device is a Wi-Fi hub, it can get recommendations on how to reduce energy use from the Internet, according to the Intel demo. People click a switch to turn the house to "away" mode, turning all stand-by power off and adjusting the thermostat.
Using the home energy dashboard, a household could save 30 percent on electricity bills, according to Chris O'Malley, a marketing manager at Intel's embedded and communications group.
Although Intel's dashboard is still a concept, a number of other start-up companies, such as Control4 and OpenPeak, are already planning similar products, released either through utilities or appliance companies such as GE and Whirlpool.
For all the activity, though, there remain questions about how much consumers are willing to pay to better manage home energy and whether Intel or any other tech provider can make money helping consumers save money.
by Martin LaMonica
Intel has designs on the nascent home energy management business, following Google, Microsoft, Apple, Panasonic, and dozens of smaller tech companies.
Intel last week launched a Web site dedicated to its Home Dashboard Concept, a touch-screen display designed to help families control and reduce energy use. The Atom-based device will let people record video messages to other family members and, through third-party applications, let people look up information on online yellow pages or track packages over the Internet.
Intel's Intelligent Home Energy Management Proof of Concept is an 11-inch touch screen that works like a remote control for home energy. The switch at the top lets people turn a home to 'away' mode, automatically adjusting security, thermostats, and cutting off stand-by power.
(Credit: Intel) For Intel, the energy dashboard is another attempt to crack into the consumer electronics market. "Computing in the home is going to be a lot more than just the PC," Intel CEO Paul Otellini said during a brief demo of the energy dashboard at CES.
Seeing a potential new revenue source, other tech companies are jockeying into home energy management with different technology approaches, a situation that's creating a crowded market of suppliers and myriad choices for consumers. Pike Research forecasts that there will be more than 28 million energy displays installed by 2015, with 11 million people accessing home energy data from Web-based dashboards and 2.6 million from mobile phones.
A patent application from Apple, unearthed last week, described a system to optimize power for a network of electronics, such as laptops, solar chargers, and iPods.
Apple characteristically is taking a somewhat unique approach, relying on a power line standard that would allow a dedicated Apple device to efficiently send power to plugged-in devices. Consumers could track electricity use and get ideas on how to reduce consumption through a small LCD screen, according to the patent.
Microsoft and Google have developed Web applications for tracking home energy use, although they differ significantly in features.
Microsoft is seeking to partner with utilities installing smart meters to offer its Hohm application to customers, who can get online access to utility bills and real-time snapshots of electricity use. For every consumer, though, Hohm provides recommendations on how to cut electricity and gas consumption, based on a lengthy questionnaire.
Google's PowerMeter, by contrast, is geared mainly at surfacing usage information to help consumers find ways to cut back on bills. It has signed on with a few utilities and smart meter makers to offer the energy-tracking dashboard through smart meters. It also offers that data through a home-monitoring device called The Energy Detective (TED) from Energy Inc., a company that 3M's venture arm invested in last week.
Whole-home monitoring
Intel's home energy dashboard is a more sophisticated version of existing whole-home monitoring products, such as TED. But Intel's approach suggests one route for getting the energy data promised by the smart grid without having to wait for smart meters to be installed and fully activated.
The Home Dashboard Concept is an energy-efficient OLED touch screen hung on a wall that acts as a hub to manage and monitor a network of devices. Intel recommends that people purchase smart plugs which, through a wireless network, will allow the central console to monitor and control devices. Once plugged in, people can see how much power TVs and other major appliances use, and set goals for reducing use.
Intel's home energy dashboard concept would use smart plugs to connect appliances to a central console for energy monitoring and control.
(Credit: Intel)
Because the dashboard device is a Wi-Fi hub, it can get recommendations on how to reduce energy use from the Internet, according to the Intel demo. People click a switch to turn the house to "away" mode, turning all stand-by power off and adjusting the thermostat.
Using the home energy dashboard, a household could save 30 percent on electricity bills, according to Chris O'Malley, a marketing manager at Intel's embedded and communications group.
Although Intel's dashboard is still a concept, a number of other start-up companies, such as Control4 and OpenPeak, are already planning similar products, released either through utilities or appliance companies such as GE and Whirlpool.
For all the activity, though, there remain questions about how much consumers are willing to pay to better manage home energy and whether Intel or any other tech provider can make money helping consumers save money.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Networked 'smart plug' gets energy info flowing
November 9, 2009 4:35 AM PST
by Martin LaMonica 4 comments
What if you could better control home appliance energy use by making your wall socket more clever?
That's the idea behind TalkingPlug from Toronto-based Zerofootprint, a company that makes software for measuring and monitoring corporate carbon emissions.
TalkingPlug is a plug that fits on top of existing electrical outlets. But it's equipped with componentry to make it a controllable node on a network, including an RFID chip, microprocessor, and wireless networking. The company plans to introduce the product next week.
Zerofooprint's wireless plug, coupled with hosted software, is designed to let people view energy use and program appliances.
(Credit: Zerofootprint)
The "smart plugs" will be able to give detailed information on how much electricity individual appliances are using. Because it's programmable, people can also control appliances. For example, a person could have a TV set-top box turn off at midnight and turn on again at 7 in the morning.
A set of plugs create a mesh network and can send information via a home or office building router to Zerofootprint. The company's software processes and analyzes the data, showing people how the energy use compares to others.
"It will completely transform our world when plugs talk to each other and interact with each other," said Ron Dembo, the CEO of Zerofootprint.
For residential customers, it makes most sense to use plugs for areas that draw a lot of power, such entertainment centers and home computers, Dembo said. He estimated the cost is about $50 now but he expects that price would drop significantly if made at larger scale.
The company has built early versions of the product and is seeking companies willing to test it out, such as utilities or appliance makers looking for a way to get information on products.
There are many companies developing energy-management software and devices aimed at helping people reduce wasted electricity use. One of the main technical challenges is getting information from appliances.
For example, IBM and utility Consert are running a trial smart-grid program where large appliances, such as HVAC systems and hot water heaters, are equipped with controllers that can feed data to a meter with two-way communications. Data is collected using a home's Internet connection, and the consumer can view energy data and control appliances from a Web page.
Google's energy-monitoring application PowerMeter can get detailed data using either a smart meter or a home energy display, typically installed by an electrician. Zerofootprint's Dembo said that the TalkingPlug approach, where monitoring and control is placed at the point of use, can be cheaper than existing methods once products are made at large scale.
Comment
Having multiple outlets talk to each other and a central server about the energy usage would allow the residents to monitor and adjust the enrgy used to minimize the costs involved.
by Martin LaMonica 4 comments
What if you could better control home appliance energy use by making your wall socket more clever?
That's the idea behind TalkingPlug from Toronto-based Zerofootprint, a company that makes software for measuring and monitoring corporate carbon emissions.
TalkingPlug is a plug that fits on top of existing electrical outlets. But it's equipped with componentry to make it a controllable node on a network, including an RFID chip, microprocessor, and wireless networking. The company plans to introduce the product next week.
Zerofooprint's wireless plug, coupled with hosted software, is designed to let people view energy use and program appliances.
(Credit: Zerofootprint)
The "smart plugs" will be able to give detailed information on how much electricity individual appliances are using. Because it's programmable, people can also control appliances. For example, a person could have a TV set-top box turn off at midnight and turn on again at 7 in the morning.
A set of plugs create a mesh network and can send information via a home or office building router to Zerofootprint. The company's software processes and analyzes the data, showing people how the energy use compares to others.
"It will completely transform our world when plugs talk to each other and interact with each other," said Ron Dembo, the CEO of Zerofootprint.
For residential customers, it makes most sense to use plugs for areas that draw a lot of power, such entertainment centers and home computers, Dembo said. He estimated the cost is about $50 now but he expects that price would drop significantly if made at larger scale.
The company has built early versions of the product and is seeking companies willing to test it out, such as utilities or appliance makers looking for a way to get information on products.
There are many companies developing energy-management software and devices aimed at helping people reduce wasted electricity use. One of the main technical challenges is getting information from appliances.
For example, IBM and utility Consert are running a trial smart-grid program where large appliances, such as HVAC systems and hot water heaters, are equipped with controllers that can feed data to a meter with two-way communications. Data is collected using a home's Internet connection, and the consumer can view energy data and control appliances from a Web page.
Google's energy-monitoring application PowerMeter can get detailed data using either a smart meter or a home energy display, typically installed by an electrician. Zerofootprint's Dembo said that the TalkingPlug approach, where monitoring and control is placed at the point of use, can be cheaper than existing methods once products are made at large scale.
Comment
Having multiple outlets talk to each other and a central server about the energy usage would allow the residents to monitor and adjust the enrgy used to minimize the costs involved.
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