Nuage Vert the industrial size art installation and visualisation over the centre of Helsinki over the Ruohlahti power station came to the end in February. The concept was simple, to project a light onto the smoke stack of this coal fired power station, the greater the wattage consumed the smaller the visual image. The artwork not only was a visual success but some data from Helsinki Energy shows it was effective in reducing consumption so well done to them.

Helsingin Energian tutkija Jussi Palola kertoo:

Kuormitus väheni 2 MVA 29.2.2008 kello 19-20, normaaliksi vertailuarvoksi sain tuolle ajanjaksolle (perjantai-ilta 19-20) 1,2 MVA, joten Vihreä Pilven vaikutus voisi olla täten 800 kVA.

Load reduced from 2 MVA 29.2.2008 Between 19-20, to (friday evening 19-20) 1.2 MVA, and so Green effect of Cloud could be hereby 800 kVA.

Check out more videos at the blog, and photos on flickr tagged vihreäpilvi and nuagevert. It also bears out this article in the economist which explains that car manufacturers estimate an overall energy saving of about 10% if petrol consumption rates are shown on the dashboards of their cars. Again we come to the inevitable conclusion that all homes should show their owners exactly what energy they are consuming and how fast they are consuming it.