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Google to save the planet

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energy kit
energy kit

energy-kitSearch engine company Google, not content with dominating the internet, it also wants to control your energy use (and combat climate change).

The comapny is launching its free online tool called Google Powermeter. The tool monitors energy use in the home and the greenhouse emissions you make (not the personal ones). By tracking what power is consumed, it is hoped that users of the tool will cut as much as £75 per year in electricity and gas.

The tool uses a smart meter to measure energy use via a clip-on at the electricity meter which sends back consumption data back to Google.

According to the Energy Saving Trust, households can save up to 15 per cent of their bills by using a smart meter, which equates to around £75, the price of a couple of console games or a few CDs.

However, the smart meter, from AlertMe Energy costs £69 plus £2.99. On that basis, you will be saving the planet more than saving money.

“Within just a few minutes, you can have AlertMe up and running and get a view of where your energy is going through Google PowerMeter, which is accessible anywhere you can access the internet. We want to empower consumers to take energy information into their own hands and we are excited to work closely with AlertMe on this initiative,” said Ed Lu, Google PowerMeter’s lead engineer.

Alternatively, you can sign up to first:utility, which is also fitting smartmeter. The one drawback on this is that the smartmeter software will only be offered to customers on the company’s Samrt Tariff and that’s only available in the Midlands. SO at least Birmingham will be spared in the climatopocalypse.