Also on the chopping block is PowerMeter, a free energy monitoring tool that pairs with smart power meters and other energy monitoring devices to help users better understand consumption habits and ultimately reduce costs.

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Broadly speaking, this means carbon footprint reporting and building energy efficiency and monitoring, analyzing, reporting and reducing energy consumption.

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Receiving the most buzz however seemed to be the GE Nucleus, a home energy monitoring system that uses Brillion Technology to work with smart meters and help homeowners manage electricity consumption (and eventually water, natural gas, and renewable energy consumption after software upgrades).

FORBES: Get yourself connected: GE at CES 2011

In July, according a report in The Energy Daily, hackers broke into the system monitoring smart meters at a Puerto Rico utility and rolled back consumption readings.

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