Facebook, the National Resources Defense Council and Opower launched its power-conservation app for Facebook on Tuesday, promising to help orchestrate lower energy use, and power bills, through a little social competition.
Sixteen utilities across the nation said they will support the app, reaching 20 million households.
All three groups agreed last October to begin development of the social energy app, which will be found at the Opower site. Users can log in with their Facebook account.
Using the app, users can compare energy use to similar homes, using a national database, and compete against their friends in terms of energy use and efficiency. The latter module is already used by Opower, as part of its Home Energy Reporting Programs. Users will also be able to form themselves into teams and compete against others, with incentives provided by their utility partners. And, of course, users will be able to share this information via their Facebook newsfeed or Timeline.
Naturally, the app will also provide tips to help conserve energy, such as investments in energy-efficient appliances and home improvements.
Using technology to encourage consumers to save energy, however, has proven to be a challenge that has daunted companies like Google and Microsoft. With the new app, Facebook and its partners appear to be using social pressures to achieve the same goals.
"If every household in the U.S. cut back on energy use by a mere 1 percent, that alone would cut more than $1.6 billion off of Americans' annual energy bills. That's the same as taking more than 1.2 million homes off-the-grid all together," said Brandi Colander, an NRDC attorney in its Energy and Transportation Group, in a statement. NRDC's partnership support includes subject matter expertise, partnership development and promotion. "This important tool will enhance energy literacy, making our daily energy choices more transparent and empowering people to make smarter, more economical decisions."
The utilities involved seem to be those who have participated in other education/competitive energy apps in the past, including Pacific Gas & Electric, ConEd, National Grid, and City of Palo Alto Utilities.
So far, other energy-conservation initiatives have not been warmly received, including Microsoft Hohm and Google PowerMeter. Google shut down PowerMeter in September of last year, but Hohm, also winding down, will be available through May 2012.
For more from Mark, follow him on Twitter @MarkHachman.
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