UK customers get access to Google's PowerMeter

Google's PowerMeter service made its U.K. debut on Wednesday, allowing British Gas customers to monitor their electricity usage from afar online.

British Gas has partnered with AlertMe, a company based in Cambridge, England, that sells hardware and a service that sends electricity consumption data over the Internet.

AlertMe has linked its system with Google's PowerMeter, which can generate graphs of electricity usage that can be viewed anywhere using a mobile phone or computer.

Many utilities are working on smart-meter technology to help consumers become more aware of their electricity usage and take steps to reduce it. The U.K. government is striving to have smart meters in every home by 2020, and the U.S. plans to install up to 40 million smart meters as part of a recent economic stimulus plan.

Google, which announced its PowerMeter service in February, estimates that consumers can cut their energy consumption by up to 15 percent if they have more information on their consumption patterns. Google's PowerMeter application can be placed on a person's iGoogle home page, a page people can customize with various Google gadgets.

To monitor electricity, AlertMe sells a device called a "meter reader." Since U.K. power meters can be read inductively, a homeowner just needs to clip the device onto the meter, said Pilgrim Beart, AlertMe's CEO. It avoids the difficulty of installing "smart meters," which are devices designed to replace old power meters for use in conjunction with remote monitoring systems.

The meter reader takes second-by-second measurements, which are then transmitted wirelessly to AlertMe's "Nano Hub," which plugs into a router. The information is then sent to AlertMe, which has its own Web-based front end where customers can log in and view their electricity data.

Customers can also opt to view the information through Google's PowerMeter. AlertMe also sells a "SmartPlug" that records the energy consumption for a specific device. Those cost £25 (US$41) each. Under the current configuration, however, Google's PowerMeter will only display the total household energy consumption rather than break it down by appliance. AlertMe's service can break it down by device.

The data can be viewed in kilowatt hours by day, week, month or year or as the total cost of the electricity. AlertMe sells the hardware for £69 and charges £2.99 per month for the online service. Users can also opt for a slightly cheaper payment arrangement, with a one-year £99 subscription that includes the meter reader, transmitter and hub. The option to use Google PowerMeter is free.

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