Home Automation Networks Identify Energy Drains

A major source of wasted energy is household electronics left plugged in that seep away energy while in stand-by mode. This has been dubbed Vampire Energy and many designers have tried (and failed) to come up with a practical solution to this cloaked menace. Most homeowners, even well-meaning ones, do not have the tools to correctly identify their most power hungry devices.

The New York Times recently had an article about this issue that presents a prototype home automation network that would enable homeowners to closely monitor their energy consumption. Home automation networks have been available for years, but were prohibitively expensive. As energy costs rise, the technology has become increasingly cheap and available, opening a new demand for this type of innovative metering. The systems can schedule temperature adjustments while you’re out of the house or show you specific energy costs. Large power companies are also taking note of the potential energy saving devices and looking into developing “smart-grids.” The New York Times reports:

Possibly coming to the rescue are home automation networks, which can help monitor all of our power-sucking devices (the typical American household has 27 that are always on, according to the Electric Power Research Institute, an energy research and consulting firm).

Some analysts expect so-called “smart metering” to boom nationwide. ABI Research, a technology firm, estimates that the market will jump to 52 million by 2013, from 560,000 this year — which would be more than a third of the nation’s meters…

With such a network, “you can turn on your TV and see what your energy use has been like in the last few months, or compare your behavior to other people in your area,” Mr. West says. Consumers can also receive automated tips on how to save money on energy, based on their prior energy use and historical weather patterns. Then, by clicking a button on a screen — either the TV or a computer — they can act on those tips.

NY Times: Finding and Fixing a Home’s Power Hogs