As part of its efforts toward the creation of a so-called “smart grid,” Google is testing out software that will help people better manage their home electricity use and reduce energy loss and inefficiency. This software would need to be tied in to new hardware devices dubbed “smart meters.”

The idea, represented in the graphic above, is that people would use the software to discover the energy inefficiencies or potential savings in their homes and would save power and money accordingly.

Google says that this could result in savings of 5 percent to 15 percent for consumers and the system as a whole. The initiative is being spearheaded by Google.org.

There’s no word on when this will be generally available. And, as mentioned, it requires a new piece of hardware (smart meter) in order to take advantage of the software Google has developed.

The Official Google Blog has more information, as does Miguel Helft’s article in the NY Times.

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google: General | Google: Partnerships

About The Author: Greg Sterling is a Contributing Editor at Search Engine Land. He writes a personal blog Screenwerk, about SoLoMo issues and connecting the dots between online and offline. He also posts at Internet2Go, which is focused on the mobile Internet. Follow him @gsterling. See more articles by Greg Sterling

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