The battle has begun. Software developers everywhere are quickly realizing that the market for energy management applications has enormous potential. But although it’s worthwhile to watch the smaller companies and see if any one of them comes out with the next breakthrough, when players like Google and Microsoft jump into the mix, you know that their product will get far more exposure in the market.

Google’s product, the Google Powermeter, is directed towards the home energy user. It is a web-based graph which shows you how much energy you have been using over the course of the day, and where that energy is being used. What it does not appear to do is give you the ability to remotely control your appliances. Still, knowing where you use the most energy can make a big difference, as a Google employee testifies in a promotional video – he saved $3,000 in one year without any significant lifestyle changes.

Microsoft, on the other hand, is working on a product that appears more robust, and feature-intensive, but not as simple and easy-to-use as the Powermeter (which isn’t surprising when you consider Outlook versus Gmail). The Environmental Dashboard application for Microsoft Dynamics AX is catered to businesses rather than home energy users. Like the Powermeter, the Environmental Dashboard helps businesses analyze and reduce their energy consumption, but it also helps them measure their greenhouse gas emissions.

Programs like this are great for people like us, but let’s not forget that smart technology is a series of steps. Being able to measure electricity consumption is the first step. The second step is being able to remotely control electricity-consuming devices. The third and final step is connecting households into large networks which can be managed on the macro level. Ultimately, although personalized solutions can make a difference in one’s annual budget, we aren’t going to see widespread changes until all three steps are complete.

Via CNET, Treehugger

This year's Greener Gadgets conference is coming up and Core77 has 50 finalists for their yearly green gadget award. The entrants include everything from cardboard computers to fancy-looking drying racks. And Core77 wants you to vote on which of the entrants should win the prize. The top ten designs will then be winnowed down to a single winner by a panel of judges.

EcoGeek's favorites (if you're curious) are:

The Tweet-a-Watt: An electricity meter that sends data on your electricity use out to you via Twitter.

The Inlet Outlet: A wall socket that would allow you to plug excercise equipment into your house and help lower your electricity bills while you lose weight.

The Power Hog: A clever way to keep your kids from using too much electricity. In fact, the kids have to pay for the power. They put a quarter in, and the Power Hog lets your child use electricity for a half hour...or whatever you program it for. I'm not sure what will keep your child from just using another outlet when the run out of quarters though.

Blight: A system of venetian blinds that contain both solar panels and electro-luminescent film. During the day the blinds absorb light, then at night they become a light source. Though I'm not sure where the power is being stored, or how it's being transferred from the panel into the storage device...it's still a cool concept.