March 26, 2008—Energy Optimizers Limited (EOL) has developed a ZigBee-based plug-in electricity meter that can help companies and households shave hundreds to thousands of dollars off their electricity bills. The UK company’s device, called the plogg, allows home- and building-owners to monitor how much electricity is being used by individual appliances and electronic devices so that energy efficiency can be improved.
Recent studies by the British government and the Carbon Trust show that people can save five to 15 percent of the electricity they use by using smart meters to manage energy demands.
The plogg is a combined smart meter plug and data logger, based on Ember’s ZigBee wireless technology running on a Telegesis module. It can be attached to any electrical appliance or device that uses a standard UK 13 Amp or European 16 Amp plug.
A plogg for the North American market is currently under evaluation.
The plogg stores the measured electricity data and wirelessly communicates this information to a PC, mobile phone or building management system anywhere in the world through an Internet-linked Ethernet gateway.
For instance, a restaurant chain could use ploggs to monitor energy use by refrigeration and air conditioning units, with all the information collected at a central point via the Internet. Upon discovering that some air conditioners were left on after business hours, the plogg would allow users to switch off air conditioning units by remote activation, or alert a manager that a unit needs servicing. The plogg meters can support a range of other wireless-based energy saving devices as well, such as temperature and light level sensors.
For more information visit the Energy Optimizers Limited Web site.
