Back in the fall, we told you that GE was testing smart appliances for use with their smart meter technology that would allow utilities and household appliances to communicate and improve energy efficiency and grid performance. In conjunction with Louisiana Gas and Electric Company, GE collected lots of information about customers’ energy use habits and how appliances can fit into a smart grid and, now, armed with this information, the company says that they will have smart appliances available for purchase this summer.

GE will begin selling a heat pump and water heater that can reportedly halve energy consumption compared to traditional heat pumps. The heat pump has three controllable settings that reduce its temperature or power it down completely during peak hours. Consumers using the smart heat pump will save about $250 annually in energy costs.

Other smart appliances that will start being introduced by GE and were tested in the trial are washers and dryers, refrigerators, ranges, dishwashers and microwaves. The company is also partnering with Florida utility FPL on a smart grid project that will use their smart appliances.

via Earth2Tech