Plan for the future of smart grid technology

By 2012, US utilities are expected to install more than 40 million smart meters.* Nucleus energy manager with GE Brillion technology brings the promise of the smart grid into your home, guiding you to smarter, more informed energy choices.

The way you buy and use energy is changing. More and more, utility companies are shifting to a new way of distributing, managing and charging for electricity use by incorporating the Smart Grid, smart meters, variable (time-of-use) pricing rates and smart appliances.

Now you can prepare your home for the future of Smart Grid with the GE Nucleus energy manager and appliances enabled with Brillion technology.

What is the Smart Grid?
The Smart Grid is a way for electricity suppliers to more effectively deliver and manage the energy use in a community. An enhancement of the common electrical grid, the smart grid incorporates innovative digital technologies like smart meters and smart appliances to improve energy efficiency, reduce power loss, integrate new energy sources such as solar and wind, and distribute electricity in a smarter way.

What are Smart Meters?
Smart meters are updated, digital versions of the traditional electricity meter attached to the outside of your home, and they not only measure how much electricity is used, but also at what times during the day. Smart meters are designed to gather pricing and usage information from the utility company and transmit signals to the smart appliances or devices in your home. Utility companies who provide their customers with smart meters are able to implement variable (time-of-use) pricing to help distribute a community's electricity load more evenly throughout the day.

What is variable (or time-of-use) pricing? Variable pricing simply means that the rate a utility company is charging for electricity use changes according to the time of day. Energy rates may be highest during the times of day when electricity use is at its peak-for example, in the evening when many people are doing laundry, cooking dinner, or running the dishwasher. In some areas, peak usage can also include exceptionally hot days, when AC units put a large strain on the grid. During peak times when the highest levels of electricity are being consumed, utility companies offset the expensive peak power by raising rates. This helps to shed or shift load and help prevent blackouts. Using the smart grid, the utility company can send signals directly to the smart meter to communicate changing energy prices based on time-of-use. As energy is consumed at different periods throughout the day, the meter will adjust billing rates accordingly. This makes it more important than ever to be aware of the way your home is using energy.

GE Profile™ Appliances Enabled with Brillion Technology GE is developing a full suite of ENERGY STAR® qualified smart appliances that will respond to the utility power signals and adjust functions to balance cost and convenience. You can set these appliances to automatically delay or defer cycles during the more expensive peak demand times, and run in hours when demand is low. With Nucleus energy manager, you can track your estimated home energy consumption and decide not only how much electricity you use, but when you use it. By tracking peak use and cost times, you can shift non-essential energy use, such as running a dishwasher, to off-peak periods when utility costs are lower. Once peak periods have passed, the appliances will complete any cycle that was delayed. But you are always in control. If that soccer uniform has to get washed before the big game, or your appetizer needs to be baked in time for the party, you can override the delay functions on all GE Profile Brillion-enabled appliances.