In-home power consumption monitors are trendy pieces of kit lately, with a new one popping up every few months. But, while they're all happy to just kick back and tell you what a wasteful pig you're being, a new service from UK security company AlertMe could actually make you more efficient. Subscribers to the company's monitoring plans, which start at about $260 plus another $17.50/month, will be able to purchase Smart Plugs for $43 each that can communicate wirelessly to an AlertMe Heating Controller. From there subscribers can monitor their energy usage online via computer or phone. That's all standard stuff, but the service also includes keyfobs that will automatically turn down the heat and deactivate devices when you leave, and allows users to manually control the plugs and the thermostat by text message, meaning you'd never be more than a few thumb-presses (and a 20 cent service charge) away from a warm and inviting home.

[Via SmartPlanet]

We've seen electricity-monitoring / controlling devices similar to the EnergyHub before, but few have provided such a handsome interface or modular, expandable options. The device uses a touchscreen control panel (familiarly referred to as a "dashboard") to help gauge and adjust energy levels for satellite outlets that it communicates with. The data will be accessible and adjustable online, and users will also be able to compare their stats with other eco-tweakers or neighbors. The company claims the devices could reduce energy costs by 20 percent for homes that employ the system. There's no word on a release date or pricing, but we'll keep you abreast of any exciting developments.

[Via Inhabitat]

Energy conservation and gadgetphilia are tough to combine, but this Power Cost Controller power strip might be just the ticket for those looking to monitor -- and potentially cut back on -- their power usage. The strip's display counts kilowatt-hour power usage and tracks by hour, week, month, and year. It also monitors line quality with voltage, line frequency, and power factor readings. We're just not sure if we really want to know how much power we're using, but if you're ready for the bad news, the strip is $99 and available now.

While you were busy watching Vladimir Guerrero take home the Home Run Derby crown two nights ago (not to mention the All-Star game last night), you may not have been aware that AT&T Park was feeding uber-clean energy back into the grid serving PG&E's customers throughout northern and central California. Sure enough, the home of the San Francisco Giants is now also home to 590 Sharp solar panels located in three separate areas of the stadium, which combine to generate some 120-kilowatts of electricity. The size of the entire array is reportedly "equivalent to approximately 40 residential solar systems," and while this system won't conjure up as much power as the CIS Solar Tower, it will certainly make good use of the ballpark during the off-season.

[Via EETimes image courtesy of MatrixCS]

Although a number of household name computer vendors have already inked their name on some sort of green agenda, now it looks like things are getting a bit more aspiring as Intel and Google have joined the likes of Dell, EDS, EPA, HP, IBM, Lenovo, Microsoft, PG&E, and the World Wildlife Fund (among others) to launch the Climate Savers Computing Initiative. The lofty goal is to"save $5.5 billion in energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 54 million tons per year," which translates into an amount equal to removing "more than 11 million cars from the road" by 2010. Supposedly, vendors in agreement with the initiative will abide by the new 90-percent efficiency target for power supplies, which looks to be the main player in garnering such massive reductions. Feeling guilty about pulling the trigger on that 2,000-watt PSU yet?

[Via ArsTechnica]

Although Wowwee's farm of robotic animals are quite the playful bunch, they aren't exactly prime targets for participating in a biological study of how animals interact in the wild, but Jennifer Moore from Victoria's School of Biological Science is aiming to use a faux tuatara to be the focal point of a new study. Modeled after a highly-regarded and recently deceased tuatara named Oliver, the new creature will purportedly be mingling with others of its kind in order to give a first-hand view on "social dominance and aggression in wild tuatara." Crafted by the Weta Workshop, Robotic Oliver will be used for the first time next month on the tuatara capital of the world, Stephens Island, in order to carefully inspect male mating habits in an effort to "significantly enhance conservation efforts." Of course, utilizing robotic clones for the betterment of a species seems like a brilliant idea, but we should probably all join in unison and hope this same stunt isn't pulled on the human population.

[Via RobotGossip]