Google PowerMeter

February 5, 2010

Google PowerMeter is a free software tool that allows you to view your home’s energy consumption from your personalized iGoogle homepage. Using information from utility smart meters and in-home energy management devices, Google PowerMeter helps you to save money and use less electricity.

What is Google PowerMeter?
Google PowerMeter is an opt-in software tool that allows users to see detailed home energy information right on their computer. It is a secure Google gadget that displays data on home energy consumption received from either a “smart meter” or another electricity monitoring device.

Why are you doing this? I thought Google was an internet company.
Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful; Google PowerMeter is all about giving users access to their own energy information.

Who are you working with today?
We are working with a number of utilities to deliver Google PowerMeter to their customers. You can see our current list of partners here.

How much will this gadget cost?
Google PowerMeter is free for all. Utilities and device manufacturers pay no fees to integrate into the offering and users likewise do not pay anything or see ads when they use Google PowerMeter.

We’re building this tool to provide energy information to consumers and to expose the opportunity that this front represents. As a project of Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm, the focus is on helping users understand how they use electricity and help them use less.

How can I get Google PowerMeter?
We are gradually rolling Google PowerMeter out in tests with partners and we currently have limited tests with utilities in the United States, Canada, the UK and India. We have also partnered with the independent device manufacturers of TED and AlertMe that work with Google PowerMeter.

How can I sign up for Google PowerMeter?
Google PowerMeter is not yet widely available. We’re currently testing it out with a small number of our utility partners and Google employees and plan to expand our rollout later this year. Stay up-to-date on our progress by joining our mailing list.

I’m a utility or an in-home energy device manufacturer. How can I partner with Google?
We are working with a number of utilities and firms that make power measurement devices and are eager to partner with even more. If you represent a utility company that has rolled out smart meters to some of your customers, we’d love to work with you, even if your rollout isn’t finished yet. Please fill out this utility form. If you represent an in-home energy device manufacturer and are interested in partnering with Google PowerMeter, please fill out this device form.

I’m a customer of one of your partners. How can I get Google PowerMeter?
Google PowerMeter is currently released as a limited beta to a small number of customers of each of our partners. We are working with our partners to scale Google PowerMeter and make the product available to all customers with smart meters.

What are Google PowerMeter’s privacy practices?
Google PowerMeter is an opt-in service and users must sign up to participate. No personally identifying information will be shared between Google and the user’s utility. 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.

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