Google’s plan to roll-out home energy monitoring systems took a step towards reality Tuesday when the company announced the first round of utility partners for its PowerMeter demand-side energy management software.
The pilot program for Google’s foray into smart grid and energy management infrastructure will be available to select customers at a group of eight utilities that have installed—or are in the process of installing—smart meters. With the move, Google will be making the company’s first significant play in energy-use data, an entirely new dimension of consumer data for the company.
By having real-time information about home energy usage on a desktop (running as a Google Gadget), those using the meter will be able to use their energy more efficiently, save money on their monthly bill, and be able to monitor/reduce household carbon emissions.
Google only announced its PowerMeter smart-meter platform in February (see our posts on the announcement here, here and here). But some startups are already chomping at the bit to access the platform.
In fact, two of the startups that presented at Earth2Tech’s Green:Net conference last week specifically said they are interested in using PowerMeter when it becomes available.
In a week that also saw Sentilla roll out energy management software for data centers, Cisco yesterday introduced their EnergyWise technology for their Catalyst® family of switches. The new software suite measures, reports and reduces the energy consumption of Internet Protocol devices such as phones, laptops and access points. Cisco also announced industry partnerships that will ultimately enable the management of power consumption for entire building systems such as lights, elevators, and air conditioning and heating.
Venture capitalists have begun funding greentrepreneurs who are inventing green-consumer products that the mass market consumer will purchase. We all know about the green car, the solar panel, and the CFLs. The question is: What will come next? What factors will influence consumers to adopt new products.
Three greentrepreneurs presented their product pitch to a sold out crowd:
Last night I attended a panel discussion called 
