Blue Line electricity monitor

There are already energy monitors available in the U.S., such as Blue Line Innovation's PowerCost monitor, which is already available for about $110. It gets data from a utility meter using an optical reader that you need to clamp onto a meter. The idea is that having a visible reminder of how much electricity a house is using and how much it costs, people will take steps to lower their consumption. Now, dozens of companies are getting into home energy management as smart meters and other networked devices allow for more features than just monitoring.

November 20, 2009 3:58 AM PST

Photo by: Blue Line Innovations

| Caption by: Martin LaMonica