Wednesday 17 June 2009

Utilities to test Google’s PowerMeter gadget

Google has confirmed partnerships with eight national and international energy companies to allow consumers to access data about their energy usage through Google’s PowerMeter gadget.

Google PowerMeter receives information from utility smart metres and energy management devices and provides customers with access to their home electricity consumption right on their personal iGoogle homepage.

Over the past several months, Google has been looking to partner with utilities that are installing (or have already installed) this equipment in their customers’ homes.

Its partners are: San Diego Gas & Electric® (California); TXU Energy (Texas); JEA (Florida); Reliance Energy (India); Wisconsin Public Service Corporation (Wisconsin); White River Valley Electric Cooperative (Missouri); Toronto Hydro–Electric System Limited (Canada); Glasgow EPB (Kentucky).

Google PowerMeter is an opt-in service and users must sign up to participate. All energy data received by Google PowerMeter will be stored securely, and users will be able to delete their energy data or ask their utility to stop sending data to Google PowerMeter at any time. Google PowerMeter is not widely available yet.

No comments: