General Electric began distributing a “smart” water heater this month. “Smart appliances” are officially on their way to American households.
This month, General Electric began distributing a type of hot water heater that can link into the smart electric meters being doled out around the country — the first such “smart appliance” sold commercially in the United States, industry experts believe.
What constitutes smart? According to Kevin Nolan, a vice president for technology at G.E.’s consumer and industrial division, the water heater — which is very efficient in its own right — contains a port resembling an Ethernet port that can, in theory, plug into a converter box that, in turn, connects to the utility’s meter.
At times of high electricity use, such as the late afternoons, the consumer or the utility will be able to switch to a different, electricity-saving mode.
But there is a catch. Right now, smartness has virtually no benefit to average Americans — or to their utilities. “Smart meters” — which help control these devices — are not present in most households, though millions are on their way.
Even when smart meters and smart appliances arrive, however, a third step — changing the way electricity is priced — remains to be taken before the new-style appliances can be truly useful. Right now, most homeowners in America pay essentially the same hour-after-hour price for electricity, whether it is 4 p.m. or 4 a.m.
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