Opower has announced that it is launching First Utility's my:energy program, a ground-breaking new service designed to put consumers in control of their energy usage and be more energy efficient. The program is the first of its kind in the U.K. and is poised to help First Utility customers find ways to save on their monthly bills. First Utility, the U.K.'s largest independent domestic energy provider, is Opower's first international partner.

"The Opower platform is the only scalable energy software for the utility industry that helps customers save energy and money," said Opower President and Founder Alex Laskey.

"To date, our utility programmes have saved customers over $120 million across 10 million households. With First Utility and the launch of my:energy, we are expecting to see similar results here in the U.K."

Ian McCaig, CEO of First Utility, commented on the launch, "First Utility's mission has always been to change the relationship consumers have with their energy consumption by bringing innovative and game-changing services and propositions to market. Encouraging and helping our customers to reduce energy consumption with insights and advice tailored to their own households and daily habits, may initially appear to go against our commercial sensibilities as an energy company, but we believe that empowering First Utility customers in this way will lead to longer-lasting relationships with them."

From today, First Utility's 100,000 customers will start receiving information detailing how their usage compares to their neighbours, together with personalised tips on how to reduce energy consumption.

my:energy will also be available to view securely online. Over the coming months further functionality will be added, including an unusual usage alert that allows customers to receive emails and SMS messages to warn them when their energy usage is higher than normal. Future enhancements will also include elements such as text message reminders to alert people to turn down their thermostats when warmer weather is forecast.

In April, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg highlighted the my:energy program in a speech on the green economy. He said, "From the summer, we'll be trialling a new project with First Utility and America's Opower... Working with U.S. utilities, Opower has helped encourage American households to reduce consumption by around 2%... We want to see what the same approach could achieve here."

Opower, which currently partners with more than 70 utility companies in 25 U.S. states and the U.K., provides utility customers with insight and information about their energy consumption. Energy usage information, provided by the utility, is at the core of the Opower platform: the data allows Opower to give families context on how their energy use compares to similar neighbourhoods homes and insights into what actions could help them save energy - and save money.