Comments on: Google crashes the smart-grid party

Company introduces PowerMeter software for tracking home energy use, part of smart-grid plan to make energy data available on the Web for free in real time in standard formats.

[akiba_freak]

In response to the comment that Tendril and Control4 use proprietary protocols, they actually use an open standard called Zigbee. It's a wireless sensor networking protocol based on an IEEE standard called IEEE 802.15.4. It's of the same family as the Wi-Fi family (IEEE 802.11) but actually in the same area as Bluetooth. The main difference between Bluetooth is that the data rate is slower for 802.15.4 but the protocol is optimized for low power consumption (2 yrs on a coin cell battery) and low duty cycle which is typical of sensor apps.

Anyways, Zigbee is an open standard and has already defined a smart energy device profile. It's currently in use in over 50% of the smart meters.

There is also a protocol for IPv6 over 802.15.4 called 6LoWPAN which is promising. However the problem is that it will take time for the IETF to ratify the standard (currently in RFC stage) and also agree on a smart energy device protocol for controlling and decoding smart meter data.

Akiba
FreakLabs
Open Source Zigbee Project
http://www.freaklabs.org

[EnergyIndVet]

You are drinking the coolaid. Zigbee is not an open standard like BACNet or Fieldbus protocals. It is a MESH based communications platform/venue (like Ethernet) that still needs code/algorthms to be transmitted over it. Zigbee is only "open" if you subscribe and pay the fee to join the club, much like Echelon and LONWorks/LONTalk, which went nowhere in the residential market.

[sohearen]

I'm not impressed with Google's green energy efforts. They're investing in high-altitude wind energy extraction technologies, while ignoring more realistic near-term technologies, such as biomass.

Scott
Greenif Co.
www.greenif.com

[renGek]

You sound like someone who really likes to hear himself tell people why he's so brilliant. At least google is doing something besides screwing the economy.

[Jonnygthedrummer]

Sweet , this is great, im not a "green" nut, but save money , sure take care of the planet but like dont make it your life lol

sweet though , googles taking the world over with free apps, ads, an in a no evil way, which everyone loves, exp the privacy thing lol
i use google.com
doc
cal
chorme
gmail
earth
maps
google 411
youtube (google owned)

next step , a OS , kill M$ lol
but goin mac for now

lol

[CTO_Dude]

@Johnnygthedrummer

Great! Plus you're a drummer so you dont have a real job that requires productivity. So Google Apps is great for you. :)

I like how Mac people claim that MS is evil and then go to Apple which is far more proprietary and closed source than Microsoft. So fine... you dont like Microsoft but dont claim that Apple and Google arent "evil". Don't kid yourself, they are in this to take your money. If they werent, they would close the doors and go home because they couldnt pay their employees and keep the lights on.

[Jonnygthedrummer]

@ CTO_Dude

lol was just making a comment, i drum for a hobby, lol, a im workin an a business that using windows, an were tryin to get web based apps instead of using outlook cause 2007 version is to slow for us, maybe just our software config , but online you can access it anywhere, an planpluseonline.com is just as , or more powerful as outlook,, an web based , so if you crash , u dont lose anything

Yes MS is better for bussiness
an mac is for more personal ,

im a long MS fan, but i dont like the way there goin , 7 might be good but its in beta so we'll see, i hope its good

i just got lookin into macs a little bit ago, couple of my buds got some so i thougth i would look at them an
my self i like them

if you like windows fine, vista fine, xp fine, I like xp , but not vista, preference
but i just like mac

yes there all evil but linux , google is semi evil lol

my take on it

[russkeller]

I love the sales pitch and intent behind but.. It appears that they're making everything in the house internet accessible. Right now the potential looks terrifying not hopeful. If it were something I could measure on my home network I might be for it instead of being forced to give google access to my house. Do no evil my hiney they're getting even more blatant about constructing skynet and taking over the universe. Cause ya know earth just a stepping stone for Google.

[X-C3PO]

Google just to drop a free app to you and gather all data they need, they monitor and collect all your power consumption data from the app, then sell it.

[unknown unknown]

The last thing people need is the power company spying on them and fiddling with their thermostat. That's crossing a line that shouldn't be crossed.

[mbahl67]

Talk about a momentum booster. Google?s entrance into the smart grid conversation is great news all around, just as President Obama is turning up the volume on its importance as well. No one company or entity can tackle all the challenges around building the smart grid and populating it with smart meters. Google?s entrance into the conversation is not only a great complementary effort in providing consumers the tools they need to take charge of their energy consumption; it validates the issue. When Google speaks, people listen.

It?s a piece of a larger platform approach?one that Tendril?s building out?that adds the necessary elements of consumer and utility control, in addition to device-level information, that enables a real-time dialogue between consumers and their energy provider. It?s great to see quickening momentum among vendors, utilities and consumers as we drive 21st century energy efficiency on the road to energy independence.

Information is the key to change. Having Google throw their weight to drive real change is a huge win for the industry, for Tendril and for consumers.

[bikejuggy]

all of you talking about google and electric co's peering into your electric meter and controlling your consumption are nuts, honestly, do you really think they would do that if you didnt OPT IN.

the theme of this article is 'energy conservation,' and it is the easiest, cheapest, and most practical way to deal with energy use, and do it in a way that doesn't affect your daily life/routine. look at what the fed. government did with 'Energy Star' program - this example is clear as day. For example, in the refrigerator market about 15 years ago.. they required manufacturers to PRINT ANNUAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION on the spec labels for all refrigerators.... once poeple saw how much energy and money they could save by buying a more efficient fridge, the market responded and bought the cleaner running appliances. It drove a period of significant competition for manufacturers to improve efficiency even further, and now our country uses about half as much energy on keeping food chilled. When google helps the gov. do this across a wide variety of products and we can see consumption in real time, it is going to spur the same kind of response. we all win.

[matthewbulat]

Energy metering for a building exists now from $100. There is a current meter in your power box which transmits 433 MHz to a wireless indoor display unit. This unit shows real time power use, daily totals, weekly totals and monthly totals. I have one in my house and it works fine. The figures are updated every 6 seconds. The Google idea could work so that you could compare your premises versus others in your local area. I have a review of the building meter at http://www.matthewb.id.au under Energy Efficiency.

[ecacofonix]

Tell me some emerging industry that Google is not a part of! Well, it is true that many of their products outside of search bombed, but these guys have so much cash (and brains) that they can afford to throw it on every interesting tech around them

Lucky chaps

NS @ Alternative Energy Profits - http://www.altprofits.com/blog

[libertyforall1776]

So is there an iPhone app for that?!

What about the PRIVACY CONCERNS:
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/726528