Google unkilling penguins with new energy monitor service

By Andy Dawson

'Hi. I'm still alive thanks to my friends at Google.'

Google have gotten all ‘philanthropic’ on our asses today with the UK launch of their new ‘PowerMeter’ electricity consumption contraption/service that we previewed earlier in the year. They claim they’re doing it save the planet and all of its innocent dying penguins, but doubts have been expressed over whether its just another way for them to clutch our personal data into their big Googly bosom. Who knows?

It works like this – the citizen (you for example) buys a self-installable AlertMe Energy kit and subscription (£69.00 for the hardware and then £2.99 per month). Then, hey presto, they can keep tabs on their energy consumption data on PowerMeter, as part of their iGoogle home page.

A link-up with the new breed of smart meters is also on its way. Research has shown that household energy bills fall by around 10% whenever consumers have more of a grasp on their energy use. Which is an enormous boon, and we’re always on the look out for enormous boons.

Google – saving the lives of penguins since 2009.

Tags: energy, google, penguins, powermeter
Posted in News, money, tech October 28th, 2009 | 5 Comments

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 4:00 pm and is filed under News, money, tech. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

5 Responses to “Google unkilling penguins with new energy monitor service”

Posted by Nobby | October 28th, 2009 at 5:02 pm

Most people have a meter in their house. They just need to look at it.

If you want some fun, flick your kettle on and watch the dials. Oooh, they’re moving.
Posted by Doobie Buoy | October 28th, 2009 at 5:03 pm

what a load of pish
Posted by Christopher | October 28th, 2009 at 5:40 pm

“£69.00 for the hardware and then £2.99 per month”

wha? however much you may be able to save with the knowledge this device affords you, you’ll never make that much back, surely?
Posted by HanTot | October 28th, 2009 at 6:18 pm

got a currentcost device similar to this, managed to knock 10% off my lecy bill which gives me about a 12 month pay back, this is £30 more expensive plus another £30 a year, with which with a 10% saving off my bill i’d never be able to get that cost back for this.

drop the subscription fee and then maybe its worth it
Posted by Brian | October 28th, 2009 at 10:25 pm

Business software heads for the clouds as Google beats Microsoft to LA deal

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/telecoms/article6894607.ece