Lowe’s Adds to Energy Center with PowerCost Monitor and WiFi Gateway
Lowe’s announced that it has broadened its range of energy conservation products by adding to its energy center line-up the proven PowerCost Monitor™ and its WiFi Gateway plug and play accessory. The PowerCost Monitor is available for sale in 319 Lowe’s stores in CA, WA, FL, MA, NY, MD and at Lowes.com.
The PowerCost Monitor WiFi Gateway enables real time energy feeds to the free on line applications Microsoft Hohm® and Google PowerMeter™. Real time energy reporting products have been available through specialty channels for several years but broader availability through a big box retailer such as Lowe’s may be a signal that the homeowner market is building.
"The last few years have been fueled by early adopters but we can see that families across the country are looking for simple, proven difference makers to combat their monthly electricity bill. Having product available just down the street is really important to accelerate the market. We really love the Lowe’s energy center concept and think that bundling energy conservation products together as a destination in the store is a winning idea. We’re really pleased to be working with Lowe’s and supporting their efforts in the energy center", commented Peter Porteous, CEO Blue Line Innovations. "The free applications offered by Microsoft Hohm and Google PowerMeter have really brought new interest to the category. These are great tool kits for homeowners offering the ability to see, chart, and compare your real time electricity use combined with helpful tips and resources. We’re seeing some really positive results – homeowners have the potential to save 6, 12% or more off their monthly electricity bill".
The PowerCost Monitor is a self-installation product that doesn’t require a certified technician. It’s a simple process of passively attaching, with one screw clamp, an optical sensor to the electricity meter outside the home. The data is then transmitted wirelessly to a portable in home monitor and through the WiFi Gateway and an inhome router to the cloud. The do-it-yourself feature lends itself to the Lowe’s format and customer.
"Utilities have been asking us to get solid retail distribution in place. Many utilities want to offer energy conservation programs and incentives for their customers but how to make this happen in the field has been a problem. Broad, just down the street product availability, really allows the utility to focus on communicating with their customer and building program awareness. With the addition of these 319 Lowe’s stores the PowerCost Monitor is on store shelves in 24 states representing approximately 70% of the US population", commented Porteous.
The company says that the PowerCost Monitor turns dumb meters into smart meters, and smart meters into really smart meters.
Porteous concluded by saying, "We have been pioneering this category since 2004. We’re proud to continue to lead with proven products, simple installation, terrific free applications and great retail partners".
More news and information regarding the latest developments in Smart Grid electronics can be found at Darnell’s SmartGridElectronics.Net.
