Ottawa’s Blue Line Launches App for Home Energy Monitoring

Ottawa-based startup Blue Line Innovations Inc., a leader in home energy monitoring solutions, is launching its mobile app that allows Canadian homeowners and small businesses to monitor their energy use in real-time.

For Canadians eager to save on that energy bill, its a pretty handy solution. Originally founded in St. John’s, Blue Line’s platform is a cloud-based solution that allows for 24/7 access to electricity usage, via smartphone or online.

“Our products help people save money on their electric bill by showing them exactly where and when they are consuming energy and how even small changes in their electricity usage can save money,” said CEO Peter Porteous. “Better information leads to better decisions and lower electricity bills, it’s that simple.”

Blue Line’s solution includes a WiFi Bridge appliance, which enables consumers who have the “PowerCost Monitor” to view and manage their own household energy usage data through various free online and smart phone application partners. The PowerCost Monitor is the company’s flagship product, a home energy display, that lets customers monitor energy usage for general home use, and also for a particular appliance at any given time. Currently it’s installed in over 140,000 Ontario homes and is free to Ontario consumers when they sign up for Ontario’s saveONenergy, peaksaver PLUS program, through their local utility company.

Now the mobile access allows users to get alerts when consuming expensive energy at peak times, so they can adjust activity to reduce costs. The app provides instant feedback on changes to electricity usage, showing immediate cost-savings, and it shows how much electricity is used by specific appliances, suggesting how minor adjustments can lead to savings.

Moreover, it displays trend data by rate period, so users can budget and forecast future electricity needs, while benchmarking allows consumers to compare energy savings with friends, family and neighbours.

“Real-time energy monitors have proven to heighten awareness and actions towards energy use and conservation measures, “says Dean Mountain of Mountain and Economic Consulting and Associates. “Based on results from the 2011Alberta Real-Time Electricity Consumption Monitoring Study, there has been a 9.7 percent reduction in energy usage due to use of Blue Line’s home energy PowerCost Monitor.”

Photo by Pat McGrath , Ottawa Citizen

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