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PowerMeter is an initiative from the dot org part of the Googlesphere that monitors a home's energy usage in real-time, so you can see just how much power turning on the hairdryer, microwave, Hoover and TV at the same time uses.
By letting consumers see their energy usage via an iGoogle desktop widget, the service aims to make people aware of how much power they are wasting, thereby helping the poor old planet and saving the consumer cash.
Until now, the service wasn't wholly available -- unless a consumer's electricity provider offered smart meters, or they chose to pay out and self-install the TED 5000 from Energy Inc.