GE has developed a line of “smart” appliances that react to pricing signals from the utility company and delay or reduce wattage of high-consumption tasks until lower-cost, off-peak periods. 

In response to the smart grid movement, GE developed a line of “smart” appliances that react to pricing signals from the utility company and delay or reduce wattage of high-consumption tasks until lower-cost, off-peak periods. Such products can help consumers manage their utility bills and help utilities manage peak demand.

Because home appliances, including heating and cooling, account for a combined 85% of total energy consumption in the home, improved energy management is a particularly important issue for design engineers when designing or improving appliances.

Through enhanced communications delivered through smart-grid-based electrical meters in the home, utility companies can communicate price signals to smart appliances. During high-cost periods, the GE appliances, which are set to customer preferences, will avoid energy usage or operate on a lower wattage, potentially reducing a consumer’s electricity bill. Consumers can override any of the company’s smart appliance functionalities at any time.

“With smart appliances, consumers can set their preferences and walk away, letting the technology work for them. This ‘set-it-and forget it’ functionality is good for both the utility and the customer and will be critical for ensuring long-term engagement and smart grid success,” said Kevin Nolan, vice president of technology, GE Appliances & Lighting.

GE’s smart refrigerator delays the defrost cycle from occurring during peak hours and goes into energy-saving mode. One participant in a Louisville, Kentucky pilot program showed more than a 20 percent reduction of energy usage during peak hours over 10 weekdays.

The GE GeoSpring hybrid water heater operates only in heat pump mode during periods of peak costs, reducing wattage by more than 80 percent compared to a standard electric tank water heater.

Several utilities are currently working with GE on residential smart appliance pilot programs to test energy savings potential. Reliant Energy in Texas is testing GE’s appliances as part of a home-based smart energy program. The appliances also are part of a test program on Martha’s Vineyard called The Vineyard Energy Project, and a pilot in Masdar City, which is targeted to be the world’s first carbon-neutral, zero-waste city being built in the UAE’s capital of Abu Dhabi.