Microsoft Hohm - Energy Tips and Ideas

Microsoft Hohm is a free software application that lets you improve the energy efficiency of your home. You can add details about your specific home and see recommendations for improvements ... as well as how you compare to other homes in your area or across the country.

" ... check your energy consumption and compare it to others around the nation. ... [above] ... heat map of the United States and the average Hohm Score per state."

Check out the BLOG  for useful tips. 

Via: Microsoft Hohm LINK

Chicago's ConEd Experiments with Consumer Energy Management Tools

Chicago's ConEd is conducting an experiment to determine how consumers manage their energy use when they have metrics on use, cost and use patterns.  Home will be outfitted with solar panels and some homes will be allowed to sell back to the grid and others will not.

" ... whether consumers have the ability, with this technology, to become little utilities. They will be able to buy and sell electricity at a real-time hourly price, which is very close to the wholesale price, from their homes."

" ... will install smart electric meters and price the homes’ electric use by the hour. Half of the homes will be able to gain credits by sending stored solar power back to the grid. The other half won’t be able to store their energy." 

Via:  SmartPlanet LINK