GE to Launch Entire Suite of Net Zero Energy Home Products by 2015

GE wants to be the one-stop shop for energy products.

The company has announced that by 2015 it will develop a turnkey product portfolio that will enable the construction of net zero energy homes using a single supplier.

To achieve that goal, GE plans to add solar PV and residential wind products, along with “demand-response technology” that can allow homeowners to alter usage in real-time, to its existing portfolio of energy-efficient lighting and appliances.

GE Consumer & Industrial president and CEO James Campbell says smart-grid technology is “extremely critical to GE Energy."

The GE net zero energy home offerings will be comprised of three major groups within the product portfolio:

• Energy Efficient Products—The company offers more than 550 Energy Star appliances and 271 Energy Star lighting models.
• Energy Generation/Storage Products—Other products by 2015 will include solar PV, advanced energy storage, next generation thin film solar and small wind power.
• Energy Management Products—GE plans to offer a full suite of demand-response appliances that will work with utility smart meters to help shed load from the grid during peak demand usage and pricing times. The products will work with smart meters to delay or reduce energy use without major interruption to consumer's lifestyles by giving the consumer control over their energy use.

Expected Impact

Residential housing consumes 37 percent of the electricity produced in the US. Appliances, lighting and HVAC represent 82 percent of electricity consumed in the home. In 2010, GE will introduce the Home Energy Manager, designed to be the “central nervous system for the net zero energy home” that will work in conjunction with all the other enabling technologies.

In addition, the company will introduce a line of smart thermostats, also available in 2010. Together, the devices will inform consumers when and how they are using energy and empower them to make decisions when they should use energy from the grid, use stored energy, and self generated energy. Up to 31 percent of the homes energy use comes from HVAC.

GE estimates these devices will reduce energy usage up to 30 percent in a typical home. The company will also be introducing highly efficient water heaters that can save the average home $250 per year.


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