The Owl (formerly the Electrisave) is a neat device for monitoring how much electricity your home is using. The systyem costs £49 and is available now online at www.theowl.com and also from nationwide B&Q stores. Full press release follows.
"OWL LOOKS OUT FOR YOU – Simple new gadget helps UK consumers save the planet and their pocket Keeping an eye on your electrical usage has never been easier with the launch of the new OWL wireless energy monitor. This revelatory device, which aims to help in the fight against climate change, is set to show millions of people just how much electricity we waste in our homes, whilst highlighting the money we can all save as a result.
The OWL monitors the home's electricity supply and for the first time provides real-time monetary information about the household's energy usage. When lights and appliances are turned on, the OWL's easy-to-read LCD monitor reveals exactly how much electricity is being used, how the cost of electricity per hour changes, and how much harmful CO2 emissions the home is producing. By simply turning off appliances when not in use, or rather being used needlessly, UK consumers can actually save up to 25% of their electricity usage – a saving that translates directly to reducing their monthly bills and households' harmful carbon emissions.
According to the Energy Saving Trust, over one quarter of all UK CO2 emissions come from individual homes, with the average UK household creating six tonnes of CO2 every year. However, £7.5billion worth of household energy is wasted in the UK every year. A massive £3bn worth of electricity is currently spent powering consumer electronic and computer products alone in the UK every year – that's 30% of the average household electricity bill. In fact, consumer electronics and information communication technology are expected to account for nearly half of all domestic energy usage by 2020.*
By acting on the OWL's readings, consumers can not only cut down on their emissions, but reduce the average £1000+ annual energy bill.** Dave Hampton, the UK's self-styled Carbon Coach, says: "In the UK, people are fast switching on to switching off, realising that it's cool to cut the carbon and shrink our utility bills. It is dawning on each of us, at last, that every £100 a year of needless electricity 'leakage' (i.e. energy we pay for, but don't really get any use from; energy that seeps into 'standby' mode; or just equipment left running unthinkingly) is really mounting up – sky high – both in the bills we pay now, and 'the damage' or legacy our wastage leaves behind. " "Each £100 of electricity saved at home is a staggering 500kg of CO2 emissions avoided at the power station, and almost a quarter of a ton of fossil fuel saved for a rainy day! It's easy to spot carbon savings when you can see what you are doing – in the dark – and that's exactly what the OWL's sharp eye for carbon waste does."
Keith Berry, Chief Executive of OWL says: "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. And arguably this is because, although the Government has made significant noise about the need to reduce our energy consumption, households haven't had the physical means to do anything about it. So 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."
OWL is simply installed by the householder, without any wiring. It is clipped to the household's electricity supply cable, transmitting data to a portable wireless monitor that can be taken anywhere around the home. By actually viewing the cost of the energy you are using and the effect on the environment as it happens, it's easy to make instant changes that will not only help fight climate change but will really save you money too. It's Eco2 – helping you to save money and the environment."
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