Google Powermeter hits UK with new monitor deal

Google Inc has recently signed a deal to connect its PowerMeter home energy software to monitoring devices from Current Costs in the UK.

Current Costs’ energy monitors, designed to sit on kitchen tables or to hang on a wall, give people a view into their electricity consumption by displaying real-time usage and projections for monthly usage and costs.

By showing where electricity is consumed, people can take steps to conserve. For example, a person can see that current use is higher than normal and turn an appliance off, or switch to more efficient lighting and see the money savings. To “read” home energy data, the system uses a sensor that clamps on to wires where electrical service comes into a house.

By connecting to PowerMeter via Google’s API, Current Costs users can now view that data through Web-enabled devices, including PCs or phones. The application can also be embedded into a Web page as a gadget.