Cutting back on your energy consumption is important to save our planet's resources but it can be difficult, especially if you don't know how much energy your gadgets and home appliances are racking up.
This new wireless energy monitor, the Owl, could help change all that. The Owl clips onto your electricity supply cable at home. The monitor connects to a portable wireless monitor which you can put anywhere, or even carry around. Data on your energy consumption is then transmitted and displayed on the LCD display on the portable device.
The Owl provides real-time information both on your energy use and what your consumption costs in real money. You'll be able to see how much electricity is being used (counting devices actually in use, plus those on standby), how the cost of electricity changes per hour, and how much harmful CO2 emissions your home is producing. It will also tell you how much money you could be saving by reducing your energy use.
Wasted energy
Figures from the Energy Saving Trust (EST) show that £7.5billion worth of household energy is wasted in the UK every year. A quarter of all UK CO2 emissions come from individual homes, with the average UK household creating six tonnes of CO2 every year.
Around a third (30 per cent) of the average UK household electricity bill is currently used to power consumer electronic and computer products, the EST said. This figure is likely to rise to represent nearly half of all domestic energy usage by 2020.
"Research shows that UK consumers are keen to take personal action on climate change, but are still unsure of what they can actually do on an individual level," said Keith Berry, chief executive of Owl.
"Until now, we've had to wait until our quarterly bills land on our doormats before we can see the quantity of electricity we've used. This is all set to change with Owl, as people will be able to measure their electrical usage - simply and cost-effectively saving the planet and their pockets."
The Owl is available now for £50.
