GE Takes Home Owners into the Future

General Electric has announced that they are currently developing a completely electric net zero home appliance system which would generate enough power to not only take a home off the local power grid, but also provide excess which could be sold back.

The systems would operate on solar and wind energy, and would enable homeowners to micromanage their appliances energy consumption.  In 2010 the company will introduce its “Home Energy Manager” to the mainstream market.

The “Home Energy Manager” will be comprised of a line of thermostats installed with smart technology which would be able to recognize off-peak hours, stored energy, and any on-site energy generated by the home’s photovoltaic and/or wind installations and adjust settings accordingly.

The thermostats would be compatible with the residential photovoltaic and wind generating systems currently being developed by General Electric.  GE is predicting that the entire appliance management system with the generators and thermostat will be on the mainstream market by 2015.

Homeowners who purchase the entire system would be able to have complete energy independence in their homes, and possibly enough to sell back to the local utility company.  Despite the costs of the systems, roughly $30,000 per home, it is estimated that combined with alternative energy rebates and the U.S. government’s current efforts to install solar energy, homeowners will likely be willing to invest in the systems.  General Electric’s new energy systems may just take U.S. homeowners the next step into an all electric future.