Installing the PowerCost Monitor WIFI Edition

PowerCost Monitor WIFI Edition

If you’ve read our two part series on Energy Tools for Beginners, you already know the importance of monitoring your energy use as part of educating yourself on how you use energy in your home.  After tracking your monthly utility bills in a spreedsheet, the next logical step is to get … continue reading

Big Players in Home Energy Monitoring

Microsoft, GE, Google : Home Energy Monitoring

In January of 2010 we put up a post on the efforts of Google, Microsoft and Apple in the area of energy monitoring titled Energy Monitoring and the Big Three.  In the past 1o months, improvements have been made, deals have been signed, new products have been announced (and … continue reading

Microsoft Hohm and PowerCost Monitor team up!

Microsoft has been making some moves in the residential energy monitoring space since the time we first covered them in our post, “Energy Monitoring and the Big Three: Google, Microsoft, Apple” back in January 2010.  When they first released Microsoft Hohm, I wasn’t that impressed.  It basically took in a whole bunch of data on … continue reading

Google PowerMeter and Ecobee Thermostat

I was fortunate enough to spend Memorial Day weekend in Washington, D.C.  My wife and I went up for a wedding and I was able to see the great exhibit on Electricity that is at the National Museum of American History.  But while I was there I realized I forgot to reprogram my thermostats so they … continue reading

Energy Monitoring and the Big Three: Google, Microsoft, and Apple

It seems that in the last year solutions available for residential energy monitoring have exploded.  Luckily this is Mapawatt’s “bread and butter”.  The boom in popularity has a lot do to with the flood of products hitting the market for people to track and control their energy usage (see a complete list of energy monitoring … continue reading

Energy Tools for Beginners - Part 2 - Realtime Energy Monitors

Energy Monitoring Tools

Now that you are a pro at tracking your monthly utility usage, it’s time to drill down and start looking at how you use energy by the week, day and even hour.  In order to learn what appliances and household items are the biggest draw in your energy footprint, you need feedback … continue reading

AlertMe home energy monitoring and Google PowerMeter

AlertMe, an energy monitoring device based in the UK, has announced they are teaming up with Google to display energy use on the iGoogle home page.  I covered the first U.S. company to team up with Google a few weeks ago with my blog on the TED 5000 and Google PowerMeter.   Currently, AlertMe is … continue reading