Monitoring Electricity Usage: A Guide To Tracking Your Power Consumption

Monitoring your electricity usage can help you identify areas where energy is being wasted and make small changes to reduce your electricity use. There are several ways to monitor your electricity usage, including:

- Using a smart plug to track individual devices' consumption. Smart plugs can be controlled remotely and allow you to set up automated actions.

- Tracking your meter values manually by noting down the meter values in regular intervals, such as once a week. You can do this with pen and paper, by taking a picture of the meter, or by using electricity tracking apps.

- Using a smart meter, which records your electricity usage and can provide more timely and granular information on your electricity use.

- Viewing your grid carbon intensity to understand how green your electricity is.

- Using a home energy monitor, such as the Sense Energy Monitor or the Power2Save, which can help you track your whole home's energy use.

Use smart plugs to track individual devices

Smart plugs are a great way to monitor individual devices' electricity usage. They are easy to use and can be controlled through an app or voice commands.

Smart plugs offer real-time energy monitoring and allow you to keep track of electricity usage and costs. They can be integrated with smart home hubs and voice assistants, making it easy to control devices and create schedules and routines.

When choosing a smart plug, consider factors such as compatibility with your smart home ecosystem, energy monitoring capabilities, physical dimensions, and price. Some popular options include the TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Slim (EP25) and the Sonoff S31 flashed with ESPHome.

Smart plugs provide a simple and effective way to monitor and control individual devices' electricity usage, helping you save energy and money.

Track your meter values manually

Tracking your meter values manually is a straightforward way to monitor your electricity usage. Your electricity meter, which is usually installed in your house (basement or garage) or outside of it, shows the current total consumption of your household in kilowatt-hours (kWh).

To track your meter values manually, record the meter values at regular intervals, such as once a week. You can do this by simply writing down the values with pen and paper, taking a picture of the meter, or using electricity tracking apps. For instance, the Zerofy app offers a manual electricity meter tracking feature that not only allows you to record values and view a consumption history but also calculates carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Additionally, you can refer to your utility bill to understand your electricity usage. The bill will contain information such as the total kilowatt-hours (kWh) consumed over a specific period, along with the associated charges. By comparing bills from different months, you can identify trends in your electricity consumption and costs.

It is important to note that different types of meters may have varying methods for reading the values. For example, a digital meter will have an electronic display showing a set of numbers, which you can record from left to right, ignoring any red numbers or numbers after the decimal point. On the other hand, a dial meter will have rotating dials, and you will need to note the number that the pointer is directly over or, if it is between two numbers, write down the lower number.

By tracking your meter values manually, you can gain a better understanding of your electricity consumption and identify areas where you can reduce usage to lower your bills and carbon footprint.

Use a smart meter

Smart meters are an effective way to monitor your electricity usage. They are power-monitoring devices that replace traditional electricity meters and provide you and your energy retailer with insights into your energy consumption. They record and send energy usage information in half-hourly blocks to your energy provider to measure your electricity usage.

• Accurate data and billing: Smart meters provide constant and accurate data on your energy usage, allowing you to understand your energy consumption patterns and work out ways to reduce electricity usage and save on your power bill. They also enable actual meter reads during each billing cycle, ensuring you pay for your actual usage.
• Remote control: Smart meters allow you to remotely turn your electricity supply on or off.
• Solar power compatibility: Smart meters allow you to take advantage of solar power systems, solar feed-in tariffs, and solar battery storage options.
• Power quality measurement: They can measure the power quality at your home, helping you identify any issues.
• Outage notifications: Smart meters can notify distributors (power companies) of power cuts, helping to streamline the reconnection process in the event of a blackout.
• Flexibility: With a smart meter, you may be able to take advantage of flexible pricing with time-of-use tariffs. By shifting your energy usage to off-peak times, you can save on costs.
• Real-time monitoring: You can monitor your energy usage in real-time through web portals, smart meter apps, and in-home displays, giving you more control over your usage.
• Notifications and alerts: You can set up your system to receive warning messages for excessive energy usage or when critical devices, like sump pumps or well pumps, are activated.
• Integration with smart devices: Smart meters can be connected to smart devices in your home, allowing you to remotely power and control them, helping you lower your energy use.
• Moving made easy: Smart meters can remotely perform tasks like connecting and disconnecting your energy when moving, making the process quicker, easier, and cheaper.

To get started with a smart meter, contact your energy provider to check your eligibility and understand the next steps. The cost of smart meters may vary, so discuss the pricing and any additional fees with your provider.

View your grid carbon intensity

Carbon intensity is a measure of how clean the electricity you use is. It refers to how many grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) are released to produce a kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity. The more carbon-intensive the electricity, the more CO2 emissions are produced per kWh of electricity consumed.

The National Energy System Operator (NESO) in the UK has developed the world's first Carbon Intensity forecast with a regional breakdown. Their Carbon Intensity API uses machine learning and power system modelling to forecast the carbon intensity and generation mix for each region in Great Britain. This information is available through their API, which developers can use to create applications that enable consumers and smart devices to optimise their behaviour and schedule activities to minimise CO2 emissions.

One such application is the WhenToPlugIn app by National Grid, which tells you the best time to use electricity by showing you when electricity with a low carbon intensity will be most plentiful in your area. WWF has also implemented the API into a widget that can help people plan their energy use, switching devices on when energy is green and off when it’s not.

Another way to monitor your carbon intensity is by using an energy monitor such as the Sense Energy Monitor. This device tracks your electricity usage in real time and provides insights into your home's energy use and activity. It can also identify patterns in your energy use and notify you when certain devices are turned on or off. While the Sense Energy Monitor is not currently available outside the United States and Canada, there may be similar products available in your region.

Use a whole-house power monitor

Whole-house power monitors are a great way to get a detailed account of your home's energy usage. These monitors have sensors that connect to your home's electrical panel or meter and track the performance and power consumption of each appliance based on its connection to an individual circuit.

The Sense Energy Monitor is one of the earliest whole-house power monitors available and is our top choice. It uses machine learning to recognise individual devices over time and lets you know which devices are running for more efficient and informed use. The monitor relies on machine learning and takes a million measurements per second to identify individual appliances and their power draw. The standard Sense Energy Monitor is for homes without solar power and has a base price of $299. However, there are two upgrades available: the Sense Flex, which allows you to monitor your whole-house load and two circuits directly via additional sensors, and the Sense Solar, which adds two current transformers to monitor your solar production and optimise its usage.

Another option is the Generac PWRview W2 monitor, which is based on the earlier Neurio W1. It also uses machine learning to identify devices and usually costs less than the Sense monitor. The limited number of reviews for the PWRview are very positive, but the Neurio W1, which it is based on, received a higher rate of complaints than the Sense monitor about its ability to identify devices and the stability and utility of its apps.

If you're looking for a more affordable option, the Emporia Gen 2 Vue monitor is a good choice. Unlike the Sense and PWRview, it doesn't employ machine learning to identify individual electrical loads. Instead, it relies on the owner interacting with the monitor to identify potential areas for saving. The basic system measures your overall energy consumption, but you can buy versions that come with eight or 16 circuit-level sensors to monitor the usage of individual circuits. The basic Gen 2 Vue costs less than half of the basic PWRview and a third of the Sense monitor.

If you want to monitor more than 16 circuits, you'll need to buy more Vues. The Vue does more than just monitor your total and circuit energy use; it also monitors your solar energy production and integrates with smart thermostats, home battery systems, EV chargers, and smart plugs.

Installation of whole-house power monitors can be complex and is typically done by a professional. It involves connecting sensors that clip to individual circuits and a small unit that analyses the information. When choosing a monitor, consider the number of individual circuits you want to monitor, as this may influence your choice.

Frequently asked questions