‘We are energy nerds.’ People are obsessing over home electricity gadgets

A smart energy meter, used to monitor gas and electricity use, is pictured in a home in Walthamstow, east London. Higher power bills are making everyone more aware of their electricity use, and utilities are passing on price signals in the form of cheaper rates when demand is low and pricier rates when demand is high. Together, those factors are creating a new class of consumer: Call them the home energy nerds. — AFP

When Kevin Wood’s local utility started offering customers money in exchange for using less electricity, the father of one had a battle on his hands. Wood, who lives in Hampshire in southern England, was keen on realising savings while alleviating peak energy demand. But some things – like teenagers – are even harder to manage than maxed-out electricity grids.

“We tried saying, ‘Look, let’s not use your Xbox for an hour,’” Wood says. “(It worked) once. But we’ve agreed not to do that again.”