LOUISVILLE, KY. —
GE and Best Buy are collaborating
on a series of energy-management systems and products
for the home.
Beginning early next year in select stores, Best Buy will begin
selling GE’s first smart appliances, which can vary their
operation based on real-time electricity costs, and the manufacturer’s
Nucleus Energy Manager, a $149 communication
and data-storage device that provides consumers with information
about their household electricity use and costs.
Best Buy will also begin carrying GE’s Energy Smart
line of LED light bulbs later this year in select stores, and
will work with the manufacturer to fast-track two GEsupported
technologies — a VPhase home energy control
device and a Suntulit air conditioning control system
— for retail testing in the future. The technologies are being
developed under a $200 million GE Ecomagination
Challenge program of investments and commercial partnerships
funded by GE and several venture capital firms.
“At Best Buy, we are committed to bringing new technologies
to market, and we praise GE’s Challenge as a
groundbreaking way to accelerate new energy technologies
to the marketplace,” said Neil McPhail, senior VP
of the retailer’s new business customer solutions group.
“We look forward to working with GE and the Challenge
winners to bring the latest technologies to consumers and
encourage consumers to use technology in ways that help
them save money and live more efficiently.”
