Google Software to Help Home Owners Track Energy Use

In a bid to help mitigate global warming, Google Inc., Mountain View, Calif., plans to roll out free software that allows consumers to track their home electricity use. Currently, the company is consulting with utility companies in the United States, Europe, and Asia to make the product available to general consumers.

According to Google, the open-source software program will show home energy consumption in real time on a user's computer or a telephone. According to recent studies, actions taken from access to home energy information typically can save between 5% and 15% on monthly electricity bills.