Welcome to Smart Energy Meters (Dot) Net
Imagine if you knew how much energy you were consuming at home at any time of the day, and knew how much energy each device was using, will you stop using those energy hog appliances ? or use them at the time of the day when the energy is cheapest? in the economy turmoil we are currently in, I believe all of us are willing to make those small sacrifices to lower down the bill numbers at the end of the month.
Smart energy meters are devices that will sit on your home, monitor energy data from your electricity meter, and let you know how much energy you are using – this put more control on your hands on how you spend your energy at home. conventional electricity meters are normally hidden somewhere on a wall on the basement, and the only time you realize how much energy you’ve been spending is when the bill hit the door, thanks to the Obama stimulus package all that will change.
Barack Obama has pledged to help utilities install 40 million smart energy meters, which are basically digital meters that create a two-way connection with the power grid and the utility. Smart meters installed in homes can unleash data about the fluctuating price of electricity throughout the day, enabling consumers that have energy-management tools to shift energy consumption to the time of day when power is cheapest. For utilities, that can mean better management of the power grid, eliminating the need to build out expensive power generating systems.
Home energy usage in most of the U.S. is at an all-time high, and utilities across the country are struggling to keep up with demand. Meanwhile, America’s 110 million households needlessly waste energy, mainly through thermostats that are incorrectly programmed, lights and appliances that are left on, and the occurrence of leak current (the power used by electronic devices when they are plugged in but not in use).
At the same time, we’re all motivated to reduce our carbon footprint and save money. But aside from changing to compact fluorescent light bulbs or choosing Energy Star appliances, we don’t know where or how to begin—because we don’t have the tools or information.
Utility companies send a bill at the end of the month showing a dollar amount that reflects total usage. That bill does not tell you how much you could have saved if you upgraded your air conditioner or refrigerator. Or adjusted your thermostat by a few degrees. Or what you wasted on leak current. Or how your usage compares to your neighbors’. Or when the grid in your area is in danger of a blackout.