GE Unveils “Net Zero Energy Home” Concept

A leader in Smart Grid solutions, GE today unveiled plans for a “Net Zero Energy Home” project which combines GE's most efficient appliances and lighting, the company's new energy management systems, and GE power generating and storing technologies in new home construction. When applied together, the system would enable a homeowner to achieve net zero energy costs by 2015. The Net Zero Energy Home project -- and new smart grid consumer poll data from the U.S. and the U.K. -- were introduced at GE's smart grid symposium at its Global Research Center in upstate New York.

As part of the company’s ecomagination strategy, the GE Net Zero Energy Home offerings will be comprised of three major groups within the product portfolio: energy efficient products including appliance and lighting products that will reduce energy consumption in the home; energy management products that will enable consumers to manage their costs and energy consumption; and energy generation/storage products like solar PV, advanced energy storage and next generation thin film solar that will play an integral part in the net zero energy home.

“Much of today’s electrical grid dates back to the days of our founder Thomas Edison," explained Mark Little, senior vice president and director, GE Global Research. "And while that grid has served us well for decades, we recognize that by investing in technologies to transform the current electrical infrastructure, GE will be able to provide powerful solutions for customers around the world for the next 100 years. We’re working with our utility and government partners to deploy energy-efficient technologies today, in a way that will empower consumers without compromising their lifestyle.”

One new product that will give consumers more control will be available as early as 2010, when GE will introduce the Home Energy Manager, the central nervous system for the Net Zero Energy Home that will work in conjunction with all the other enabling technologies in the home to help homeowners optimize how they consume energy. GE will also introduce a line of smart thermostats in 2010 that, together with the Home Energy Manager, will inform consumers on their energy use and empower them to make smarter decisions on their energy consumption. The smart thermostats can help consumers significantly save on their energy bills.