Google unveils smart electricity usage monitor software

Another interesting move in a nascent space…this from google.org, who announced GoogleWatt, their ‘strategic’ renewable energy investment program earlier last year.

Ambient data management, and visualisation at a personal level, along with the massive aggregation of zillions of households, plays right into Google’s core strengths…a lot like the really interesting Google Flu Tracking initiative that uses their search data to detect trends in search terms that predict early outbreaks.

Wait for the inevitable tie-ins with new ‘light consumption appliances’ at the household side, and Google selling energy usage data to renewables companies and energy futures traders…

For a hardware appliance that tackles similar energy use analysis, it’s worth taking a look at Ambient Device’s Energy Joule, a plugin smart monitor with a realtime display of energy pricing from it’s built in data feed over FM. Very er, smart.

(Via TechMeme.)