July 10, 2009 4:00 AM PDT
Google PowerMeter
The big Web and IT companies are pushing into the smart grid in various ways. Google made a splash earlier this year when it introduced PowerMeter, a Web application (or Google gadget) that displays how much electricity a home uses and how much each appliance consumes. It's the sort of information that's available once a smart meter or other gateway is installed and it helps consumers finds ways to trim their bills.
Photo by Google
Caption by Martin LaMonica