Google said to be testing smart thermostats to save home energy use

Google may be taking another crack at tracking home energy use. The tech giant is currently testing web-connected thermostats that let users view home energy activity, and make adjustments. If that sounds familiar, it’s because Google attempted something similar a few years ago called PowerMeter, a web dashboard that tracked an entire home’s energy use. 

Google is eyeing energy-use data, again. The company has been running a trial of Internet-connected home thermostats to help consumers monitor and adjust their energy use, according to two people told about the project. The program has been referred to EnergySense, according to a document reviewed by The Information. Google has been registering non-employees to be “Trusted Testers” of the service in St. Louis and possibly elsewhere.