Home Energy Manager

The "central nervous system" for a network of smart appliances is GE's Home Energy Manager, a device for programming device preferences. Seen here is the interface for a consumer. The system acts as a central communications hub between networked appliances and a home smart meter.

GE is looking at different options for accessing the system, including connecting to a home router so consumers can see energy information in real time, said Natarajan Venkatakrishan, director of research and development at GE Appliances. Individually, he said, GE's smart appliances can be more efficient by taking advantage of off-peak rates and by going into low-energy mode during peak times. The Home Energy Manager, which will cost between $200 and $250, collects data on multiple appliances.