Google PowerMeter Is Counting On Your Inner Energy Geek

(MoneyWatch)  Google (GOOG) seems convinced that people won't use PowerMeter, its free home-energy monitoring software, unless there's some gimmicky social media feature attached to it. For the second time this year, Google PowerMeter has added a feature that promotes friendly competition between users -- this time you can earn a "special badge" for every completed energy savings recommendation.

Google PowerMeter, which was launched last year by the company's philanthropic arm Google.org, is constantly improving the product either by adding new features or partnering with utilities. The latest feature, announced Monday, offers users a set of personalized energy savings recommendations, such as installing weather stripping or replacing an inefficient appliance. Once a user completes a recommendation they receive a special badge. Here's how Google PowerMeter product manager Ryan Falor described it in a recent blog post.

In addition to receiving customized energy saving recommendations, you'll earn a special badge when you complete a recommendation. Collecting badges is a fun way of keeping track of your accomplishments to reduce energy waste and save money. And you might even strike up some friendly competition among family and friends to see who can collect the most badges fastest!

Don't get me wrong, PowerMeter is a great product. I even gave polite applause to PowerMeter's semi-creepy social media feature -- which allows user to share their energy consumption information with friends, family and neighbors -- that was launched this spring. But special badges is just weird. It's hard to imagine any adult getting into a battle with their neighbors over the number of badges he or she has received.

Google's not alone, by the way. Microsoft's (MFST) home-energy management software, Hohm, also has pushed the friendly competition gimmick, albeit more subtly. Earlier this year, Microsoft launched Hohm Score, which allows folks to type in an address and receive an instant estimate of a home's energy efficiency.

The idea behind these features isn't wrong. Google and Microsoft are tapping into a basic human desire to know how we're doing and how we compare to others. The special badges features treads too deeply into energy geek territory, and that's not where most consumers are.

Google PowerMeter logo from Google.org
Related:

• Energy Side Effect: Google PowerMeter Makes Smart Meters Irrelevant
• Google PowerMeter Goes Social: Share Your Personal Habits With Friends and Neighbors!
• Google PowerMeter Snags First European Utility Partner