Microsoft’s latest technology – Hohm – is ready to save the world from global warming.
It sounds, ugh, confusing.
The general concept behind it is good. In fact, it seems similar to Google’s offering – PowerMeter – which borrows the catchline:
If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it. — Lord Kelvin
I can’t see how these “applications” will work yet though. It all seams a bit abstract and idealistic. The main issue is that someone needs to make a buck. Who wants to pay? The energy providers? Unlikely – they’ll loose money through reduced energy usage anyway. End users, well yea, but why would I want to pay for something I already know?
I suppose in essence it’s really about re-educating people. Which means it’s not going to make anyone any money. If companies such as Microsoft and Google have a spare few mil to throw at this – good on ’em. But it seems a little fishy to me.
And for something amusing:
“Later on, Microsoft intends for the service to grab data from programmable thermostats and so-called “smart plugs” to provide better real-time information. It all sounds well and good until the day we’re inevitably forced to call Microsoft’s activation center after adding a deck to the house”
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/06/24/microsoft_launches_hohm/
#1 by Rob on June 28, 2009 - 5:39 pm
It’s an interesting concept. I like the idea of being able to know how much electricity everything is using, especially with the sharp increases in electricity prices we’re about to experience / have experienced recently. Providing tools like this to consumers is a great idea, assuming it would work like they are indicating.
As to the energy providers losing money through reduced energy usage, there is one important sentence in the article you link to at the end of your post that gives a possible hint:
“The carrot for utilities is that users will be able to cut down their power usage during peak hours.”
Power utilities will have some sort of “base load” of power generation all the time, which would be via more cost effective generation. That’s why they typically charge less for off-peak use. So if there is more balanced usage of power over time (i.e. reduced peak usage and increased non-peak usage) then power generation becomes more cost effective (because they can just increase the base load) and the utilities make more money based on cost savings rather than increased revenue.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_load_power_plant
#2 by wilson on August 12, 2009 - 10:19 am
Hey Rob,
Sounds like you’re on-the-money with the “base load carrot” dangling in front of the power companies.
“SmartPower” is available in Western Australia (if you want to pay $240 for a new power meter). http://www.synergy.net.au/Residential_Segment/SmartPower/SmartPower.html
All I need now is something to remind me at off-peak-power o’clock to turn the washing machine/clothes drier/oven on. How are your electronics skills 😉