Western Washington Water Heater Rebate Puts a Fast $500 in Homeowners’ Pockets, New GE® Water Heater Saves Them Even More

News release:

30 May 2012

Western Washington Water Heater Rebate Puts a Fast $500 in Homeowners’ Pockets, New GE® Water Heater Saves Them Even More

 

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• $500 rebate applies to the purchase of GE’s GeoSpring™ Hybrid Water Heater
• Hybrid water heating technology can save consumers more than $3,000 during the 10-year warranty period

LOUISVILLE, Ky., — May 30, 2012 — (NYSE: GE) — It just got easier to save money on utility bills in western Washington, thanks to a rebate program from Puget Sound Energy. When Puget Sound Energy consumers buy the new GE^® GeoSpring™ Hybrid Water Heater, they may be eligible to apply for a $500 rebate, reducing the cost to purchase the water heater. The ENERGY STAR^®-qualified water heater saves up to $325 per year on utility bills, which means the GeoSpring quickly pays for itself.*

Over 10 years, this savings can add up to more than $3,000 that can be used toward a vacation, a shopping spree, a home improvement or a rainy-day fund rather than going into the utility bill.

“Many consumers are unaware that the water heater is the second biggest energy user in the home behind the HVAC system,” said Keith Burkhardt, marketing manager for GE Appliances. “Through this rebate program, money is saved on both the product purchase and on utility bills—money the family can spend on something more enjoyable.”

Technology that drives energy and cost savingsThe GeoSpring’s hybrid technology is designed to absorb heat in ambient air and transfer it into the water. Since this uses much less energy than what’s needed to generate radiant heat—as used in a conventional electric tank water heater—the GeoSpring is more economical to operate.

Other features of the GeoSpring:

• Includes same water and electrical connections as the standard electric water heater, making it easy to install.
• Provides the same amount of hot water as traditional 50-gallon standard electric water heaters.
• Integrated electronics on the GeoSpring’s control panel offer exclusive features, such as Vacation mode, which will lower the water temperature to 50 degrees for the duration of a trip, and then automatically reenergize itself the day before the homeowner’s return.
• Offers additional control over water temperature by allowing consumers to adjust the temperature setting in one-degree increments from 100 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

"The goal of the PSE rebate program is to encourage our customers to save energy and money," said Walker Dodson, program manager with Puget Sound Energy. "The GeoSpring is a great choice for customers because of its energy efficiency and the ongoing savings it delivers.”

Rebate detailsTo participate, the water heater must be installed outside of the living space, such as a garage, attic or crawl space. Customers must then complete the rebate application and submit it with a copy of the receipt that clearly shows the equipment brand name, model number, purchase price and purchase location.** For additional information about the water heater rebate and eligibility requirements for the rebate program, please visit PSE.com/rebates.

As an added convenience to simplify the shopping experience, GE Appliances’ new Rebate Finder easily allows consumers to see rebates by appliance model that may be available in their area. From GEAppliances.com, simply enter your zip code and select Water Heaters in the product field to view rebate details and submit.

Pricing and availabilityAssembly of the new GeoSpring Hybrid Water Heaters started in February in Louisville, Ky. GeoSpring is available at national retailers such as Lowe's and Sears and national plumbing distributors such as Ferguson, as well as many local retailers and distributors. For more information on features and availability, visit www.GEAppliances.com/GeoSpring. The estimated retail price for GeoSpring is $1,199-$1,299.***

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter or check out our website for more information Friend GE Appliances on Facebook to view how-to videos; learn about new GE appliances, and join in the discussion with other GE appliance owners. Join today and follow @GE_Appliances on Twitter or just locate detailed information about our products at www.geappliances.com.

About GE AppliancesGE Appliances is at the forefront of building innovative, energy-efficient appliances that improve people’s lives. GE Appliances’ products include refrigerators, freezers, cooking products, dishwashers, washers, dryers, air conditioners, water filtration systems and water heaters. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information on GE Appliances, visit www.ge.com/appliances.

*Based on DOE test procedure and comparison of a 50-gallon standard electric tank water heater using 4879 kWh every year vs. the GeoSpring hybrid water heater using 1830 kWh every year.

** Rebate application must be submitted within 30 days of equipment installation. One rebate per qualifiying metered, residential customer on qualifying installations.

***Dealers set their own prices.

Orlando Water Heater Rebate Puts a Fast $650 in Homeowners’ Pockets, New GE® Water Heater Saves Even More

Press release:

22 May 2012

Orlando Water Heater Rebate Puts a Fast $650 in Homeowners’ Pockets, New GE® Water Heater Saves Even More

 

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•  View Details

 

• $650 rebate applies to the purchase of GE’s GeoSpring™ Hybrid Water Heater
• Hybrid water-heating technology can save consumers more than $3,000 during the 10-year warranty period

LOUISVILLE, Ky., — May 22, 2012 — (NYSE: GE) — It just got easier to save money on utility bills in Orlando, thanks to a new rebate program from utility partner Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC). When consumers and builders buy the new GE^® GeoSpring™ Hybrid Water Heater, they are eligible to apply for a $650 rebate, reducing the cost to purchase the water heater. The ENERGY STAR^®-qualified water heater saves up to $325 per year on utility bills, which means the GeoSpring quickly pays for itself.*

Over 10 years, this savings can add up to more than $3,000 that can be used toward a vacation, a shopping spree, a home improvement or a rainy-day fund instead of being unnecessarily drained into the utility bill.

“Many consumers are unaware that the water heater is the second biggest energy drain in the home behind the HVAC system,” said Keith Burkhardt, marketing manager for GE Appliances. “Through this rebate program, money is saved on both the product purchase and on utility bills—money the family can spend on something more enjoyable.”

Technology that drives energy and cost savingsThe GeoSpring’s hybrid technology is designed to absorb heat in ambient air and transfer it into the water. Since this uses much less energy than what’s needed to generate radiant heat—as used in a conventional electric tank water heater—the GeoSpring is more economical to operate.

Other features of the GeoSpring include:

• Includes the same water and electrical connections as the standard electric water heater, making it easy to install.
• Provides the same amount of hot water as traditional 50-gallon standard electric water heaters.
• Integrated electronics on the GeoSpring’s control panel offer exclusive features, such as Vacation mode, which will lower the water temperature to 50 degrees for the duration of a trip, and then automatically reenergize itself the day before the homeowner’s return.
• Offers additional control over water temperature by allowing consumers to adjust the temperature setting in one-degree increments from 100 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

"The goal of our rebates is to help customers reduce their energy and water consumption and, in turn, their utility bills," said Byron Knibbs, OUC vice president of sustainable services. "Installing an energy-efficient, heat pump water heater can cut a home's water heating costs by more than half, making it an effective way for homeowners to save energy, water and money.”

Rebate detailsThe rebate can be applied when replacing existing electric water heaters. All receipts/invoices must be dated and submitted within 12 months of the date work is completed. Rebate applications are available at energy-efficient water heater retailers and online at www.ouc.com.

When submitting a rebate application, the water heater’s model number must be included on the contractor’s invoice. Receipt and proof of ENERGY STAR® qualification are also required to receive this rebate. For work performed by the customer: If the receipt does not include the model number, submit a copy of the retailer’s item description of the product installed.Rebates will appear as a credit on the consumer’s OUC bill. Processing takes six to eight weeks.

As an added convenience to simplify the shopping experience, GE Appliances’ new Rebate Finder easily allows consumers to see rebates by appliance model that may be available in their area. From GEAppliances.com, simply enter your zip code and select Water Heaters in the product field to view rebate details and submit.

Pricing and availabilityAssembly of the new GeoSpring Hybrid Water Heaters started in February in Louisville, Ky. GeoSpring is available at national retailers such as Lowe's and Sears and national plumbing distributors such as Ferguson, as well as many local retailers and distributors. For more information on features and availability, visit www.GEAppliances.com/GeoSpring. The estimated retail price for GeoSpring is $1,199-$1,299.**

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter or check out our website for more information Friend GE Appliances on Facebook to view how-to videos; learn about new GE appliances, and join in the discussion with other GE appliance owners. Join today and follow @GE_Appliances on Twitter or just locate detailed information about our products at www.geappliances.com.

About GE AppliancesGE Appliances is at the forefront of building innovative, energy-efficient appliances that improve people’s lives. GE Appliances’ products include refrigerators, freezers, cooking products, dishwashers, washers, dryers, air conditioners, water filtration systems and water heaters. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information on GE Appliances, visit www.ge.com/appliances.

*Based on DOE test procedure and comparison of a 50-gallon standard electric tank water heater using 4879 kWh every year vs. the GeoSpring Hybrid Water Heater using 1830 kWh every year.

**Dealers set their own prices.

Brainpower for Hydropower

Brainpower for Hydropower

May 10, 2012 

Mark Cecchini-Beaver at the University of Idaho is one of ten new participants in the Hydro Fellowship Program. | Photo courtesy of the Hydro Research Foundation.

Jonathan Bartlett

Education and Outreach Lead, Water Power Program

What are the key facts?

• Today the Energy Department announced 2012 selections for the Hydro Fellowship Program.
• This fellowship program provides participants with financial assistance and the opportunity to pursue a variety of hydropower research topics.

Today, the Energy Department, in cooperation with the Hydro Research Foundation, announced the 2012 selections for the Hydro Fellowship Program. Through their research, these 10 new Fellows will work to advance hydropower technology development and deployment in the United States.

Through targeted workforce development and training opportunities, the Hydro Fellowship Program supports the Obama Administration’s goals of advancing education opportunities in the science, technology, math and engineering fields. In total, the program has funded 33 graduate students at 19 universities in 16 states. Together this next generation of hydro-power leaders will strive to make hydropower more efficient, environmentally friendly, and cost effective.

The fellowship program, which is funded by the Energy Department, provides Fellows with financial assistance and the opportunity to pursue a wide variety of hydropower research topics – including those related to water quality, wildlife interactions, environmental impacts, technology development and more. Each Fellow is paired with a mentor to gain real-world knowledge of the hydropower industry.
The 2012 class of Hydro Fellows includes:

• Mark Cecchini-Beaver at the University of Idaho, who will develop a computer model describing the legal, technical, and physical constraints of the Columbia River, and use this model to inform review of the 2014/2024 Columbia River Treaty.
• Sean Brosig at Oregon State University, who will research a methodology to reduce the strain on hydro turbines using life-extending control of multiple energy storage systems.
• Stanley Dittrick at Washington State University, who will research novel materials and coatings to reduce erosion and damage of turbine surfaces.
• Samuel Dyas at the Colorado School of Mines, who will research instrumentation and analysis techniques and explore their application in monitoring functioning turbines to allow for predictive maintenance.
• Benjamin Foster at the University of North Carolina, who will research how financial risk management techniques can be used to enable more sustainable hydropower production.
• Adam Greenhall at the University of Washington, who will research the cost-saving benefits of using computer models to find optimal scenarios of wind, hydro, and thermal energy generation to allow for constant and least-cost energy production.
• Tresha Melong at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, who will research how hydropower projects can be designed to allow for the downstream passage of the American eel.
• Mark Raleigh at the University of Washington, who will research how to improve the representation of snow in summer hydropower forecasting.
• Karen Studarus at the University of Washington, who will conduct research to better understand how operators dispatch hydropower and other energy sources and balance these with competing water uses in the Federal Columbia River Power System.
• Marc Whitehead at Oregon State University, who will conduct a design and manufacturing study of hydraulic turbine systems using composite materials with natural and recycled fiber reinforcements.

Visit the Hydro Research Foundation’s website for a detailed list of the Fellows and their work.
For more information on how the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy works to accelerate the development and deployment of hydropower technologies, visit the Water Power Program website.

Hydrogen from Acidic Water

NEWS RELEASE February 9, 2012 For Immediate Release Contact: Lynn Yarris lcyarris@lbl.gov / (510)-486-5375

Click  here to view this release online with images.  Hydrogen from Acidic Water:      Berkeley Lab Researchers Develop a Potential Low Cost Alternative to Platinum for Splitting Water A technique for creating a new molecule that structurally and chemically replicates the active part of the widely used industrial catalyst molybdenite has been developed by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). This technique holds promise for the creation of catalytic materials that can serve as effective low-cost alternatives to platinum for generating hydrogen gas from water that is acidic. Christopher Chang and Jeffrey Long, chemists who hold joint appointments with Berkeley Lab and the University of California (UC) Berkeley, led a research team that synthesized a molecule to mimic the triangle-shaped molybdenum disulfide units along the edges of molybdenite crystals, which is where almost all of the catalytic activity takes place. Since the bulk of molybdenite crystalline material is relatively inert from a catalytic standpoint, molecular analogs of the catalytically active edge sites could be used to make new materials that are much more efficient and cost-effective catalysts. "Using molecular chemistry, we've been able to capture the functional essence of molybdenite and synthesize the smallest possible unit of its proposed catalytic active site," says Chang, who is also an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). "It should now be possible to design new catalysts that have a high density of active sites so we get the same catalytic activity with much less material." Says Long, "Inorganic solids, such as molybdenite, are an important class of catalysts that often derive their activity from sparse active edge sites, which are structurally distinct from the inactive bulk of the molecular solid. We've demonstrated that it is possible to create catalytically active molecular analogs of these sites that are tailored for a specific purpose. This represents a conceptual path forward to improving future catalytic materials." Chang and Long are the corresponding authors of a paper in the journal Science describing this research titled "A Molecular MoS2 Edge Site Mimic for Catalytic Hydrogen Generation." Other authors are Hemamala Karunadasa, Elizabeth Montalvo, Yujie Sun and Marcin Majda. Molybdenite is the crystalline sulfide of molybdenum and the principal mineral from which molybdenum metal is extracted. Although commonly thought of as a lubricant, molybdenite is the standard catalyst used to remove sulfur from petroleum and natural gas for the reduction of sulfur dioxide emissions when those fuels are burned. Recent studies have shown that in its nanoparticle form, molybdenite also holds promise for catalyzing the electrochemical and photochemical generation of hydrogen from water. Hydrogen could play a key role in future renewable energy technologies if a relatively cheap, efficient and carbon-neutral means of producing it can be developed. Currently, the best available technique for producing hydrogen is to split water molecules into molecules of hydrogen and oxygen using platinum as the catalyst. However, with platinum going for more than $2,000 an ounce, the market is wide open for a low cost alternative catalyst. Molybdenite is far more plentiful and about 1/70th the cost of platinum, but poses other problems. "Molybdenite has a layered structure with multiple microdomains, most of which are chemically inert," Chang says. "High-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy studies and theoretical calculations have identified the triangular molybdenum disulfide edges as the active sites for catalysis; however, preparing molybdenite with a high density of functional edge sites in a predictable manner is extremely challenging." Chang, Long and their research team met this challenge using a pentapyridyl ligand known as PY5Me2 to create a molybdenum disulfide molecule that, while not found in nature, is stable and structurally identical to the proposed triangular edge sites of molybdenite. It was shown that these synthesized molecules can form a layer of material that is analogous to constructing a sulfide edge of molybdenite. "The electronic structure of our molecular analog can be adjusted through ligand modifications," Long says. "This suggests we should be able to tailor the material's activity, stability and required over-potential for proton reduction to improve its performance." In 2010, Chang and Long and Hemamala Karunadasa, who is the lead author on this new Science paper, used the PY5Me2 ligand to create a molybdenum-oxo complex that can effectively and efficiently catalyze the generation of hydrogen from neutral buffered water or even sea water. Molybdenite complexes synthesized from this new molecular analog can just as effectively and efficiently catalyze hydrogen gas from acidic water. "We're now looking to develop molecular analogs of active sites in other catalytic materials that will work over a range of pH conditions, as well as extend this work to photocatalytic systems" Chang says. Adds Long, "Our molecular analog for the molybdenite active site might not be a replacement for any existing catalytic materials but it does provide a way to increase the density of active sites in inorganic solid catalytic materials and thereby allow us to do more with less." This research was supported by the DOE Office of Science, in part through the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, a DOE Energy Innovation Hub.   # # #

Turbines Off NYC East River

Post from the blog of the U.S. Dept. of Energy:

Turbines Off NYC East River Will Create Enough Energy to Power 9,500 Homes

February 6, 2012 

Free Flow System turbine being installed in East River, New York, NY (Dec 2006). | Image Credit: Kris Unger/Verdant Power, Inc.

Hoyt Battey

Water Power Market Acceleration and Deployment Team Lead, Wind and Water Power Program

What does this project do?

• The 30 turbines will generate 1,050 kilowatts of electricity -- enough to power 9,500 New York homes.

As part of the Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy project, 30 turbines are being installed along the strait that connects the Long Island Sound with the Atlantic Ocean in the New York Harbor. The project, led by Verdant Power, Inc., is the first ever commercially licensed tidal energy project in the United States.

The turbines are scheduled to be fully installed by 2015 and will use the flow of the river and tides to generate 1,050 kilowatts of electricity -- enough to power 9,500 New York homes.

The turbines will also collect important data about environmental impacts on fish and river sediment and provide jobs to a team of technicians who will maintain and monitor the equipment.

The Energy Department helps advance water power technologies by funding research to determine the size of the water resource and by developing innovative technologies to unleash its energy potential. The Department began providing Verdant Power with funding in 2008 to improve the turbines’ blade design. Verdant had been successfully developing and testing turbine prototypes in the East River since 2002, but those turbine rotors were not durable enough to be scaled up for commercialization. With the Department’s assistance, Verdant designed and tested new blades, which are stronger and more reliable -- allowing them to capture more energy from faster currents at greater depths and at a lower cost.

This technological improvement represents progress for the entire tidal energy industry.

Department funding for innovative water power technologies is helping the United States to take advantage of its vast water power resources to generate clean energy and to bolster the renewable energy economy. As advanced marine and hydrokinetic technologies are responsibly deployed and new hydropower opportunities are seized, water resources could deliver 15 percent of our nation’s electricity supply by 2030. Visit the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Water Power Program to learn more about how marine and hydrokinetic technologies are generating renewable, environmentally responsible, and cost-effective electricity from water resources.

Tapping into Wave and Tidal Ocean Power

U.S. Dept. of Energy blog post:

Tapping into Wave and Tidal Ocean Power: 15% Water Power by 2030

January 27, 2012

A map generated by Georgia Tech's tidal energy resource database shows mean current speed of tidal streams. The East Coast, as shown above, has strong tides that could be tapped to produce energy. | Photo courtesy of Georgia Institute of Technology

Hoyt Battey

Water Power Market Acceleration and Deployment Team Lead, Wind and Water Power Program

What are the key documents?

• Mapping and Assessment of the United States Ocean Wave Energy Resource pdf here
• Assessment of Energy Production Potential from Tidal Streams in the United States pdf here

In the most rigorous analyses undertaken to date, two recently released resource assessments show that waves and tidal currents off the nation's coasts contain enough energy to provide a significant portion our nation’s total annual electricity usage.

The United States uses about 4,000 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity per year. The reports find that the nation’s waves and tides could potentially produce up to 1,420 TWh annually, or 15 percent of America’s electricity. Although these resources won’t be used in their entirety, they represent a major opportunity for America to harness homegrown, clean power and create jobs.

The West Coast, including Alaska and Hawaii, has especially high potential for wave energy development while significant opportunities also exist along the East Coast, which have strong tides that could be tapped to produce energy.  

The assessments—Mapping and Assessment of the United States Ocean Wave Energy Resource and Assessment of Energy Production Potential from Tidal Streams in the United States—reflect the size and magnitude of waves and tides in the ocean and serve as a foundation for an ongoing effort to map out the best locations for extraction of ocean energy.  

The Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory incorporated the data from the wave resource assessment into its U.S. Renewable Resource atlas, where viewers can pan, zoom, and filter through graphically displayed data layers.  In the future, 30 years of wave and weather data will be incorporated into the database to inform technological requirements and risks associated with wave energy development projects.

Georgia Tech‘s previously announced tidal streams database displays online maps that allow the public, policy makers, and water power developers to easily explore potential marine and hydrokinetic power-producing regions in the United States. 

For more information about other water power resource assessments,  visit the Energy Department’s Water Power Program website.

DOE Reports Show Potential for Wave & Tidal Energy Production

Progress Alert from the U.S. Department of Energy:

DOE Reports Show Major Potential for Wave and Tidal Energy Production Near U.S. Coasts

January 18, 2012

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today released two nationwide resource assessments showing that waves and tidal currents off the nation's coasts could contribute significantly to the United States' total annual electricity production, further diversify the nation's energy portfolio, and provide clean, renewable energy to coastal cities and communities. These new wave and tidal resource assessments, combined with ongoing analyses of the technologies and other resource assessments, show that water power, including conventional hydropower and wave, tidal, and other water power resources, can potentially provide 15% of our nation's electricity by 2030. Today's reports represent the most rigorous analysis undertaken to date to accurately define the magnitude and location of America's ocean energy resources. The information in these resource assessments can help to further develop the country's significant ocean energy resources, create new industries and new jobs in America, and secure U.S. leadership in an emerging global market.

The United States uses about 4,000 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity per year. DOE estimates that the maximum theoretical electric generation that could be produced from waves and tidal currents is approximately 1,420 TWh per year, approximately one-third of the nation's total annual electricity usage. Although not all of the resource potential identified in these assessments can realistically be developed, the results still represent major opportunities for new water power development in the United States, highlighting specific opportunities to expand on the 6% of the nation's electricity already generated from renewable hydropower resources.

The two reports—"Mapping and Assessment of the United States Ocean Wave Energy Resource" and "Assessment of Energy Production Potential from Tidal Streams in the United States"—calculate the maximum kinetic energy available from waves and tides off U.S. coasts that could be used for future energy production, and which represent largely untapped opportunities for renewable energy development in the United States.

The West Coast, including Alaska and Hawaii, has especially high potential for wave energy development, while significant opportunities for wave energy also exist along the East Coast. Additionally, parts of both the West and East Coasts have strong tides that could be tapped to produce energy.

Earlier this year, DOE announced the availability of its national tidal resource database, which maps the maximum theoretically available energy in the nation's tidal streams. This database contributed to the "Assessment of Energy Production Potential from Tidal Streams in the United States" report, prepared by Georgia Tech.

The wave energy assessment report, titled "Mapping and Assessment of the United States Ocean Wave Energy Resource," was prepared by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), with support and data validation from researchers at Virginia Tech and DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The report describes the methods used to produce geospatial data and to map the average annual and monthly significant wave height, wave energy period, mean direction, and wave power density in the coastal United States. NREL incorporated the data into a new marine and hydrokinetic energy section in their U.S. Renewable Resource atlas.

In addition to the wave and tidal resource assessments released today, DOE plans to release additional resource assessments for ocean current, ocean thermal gradients, and new hydropower resources in 2012. To support the development of technologies that can tap into these vast water power resources, DOE's Water Power Program is undertaking a detailed technical and economic assessment of a wide range of water power technologies in order to more accurately predict the opportunities and costs of developing and deploying these innovative technologies. The Program is currently sponsoring over 40 demonstration projects that will advance the commercial readiness of these systems, provide first-of-a-kind, in-water performance data that will validate cost-of-energy predictions, and identify pathways for large cost reductions.

These resource assessments, techno-economic assessments, and technology demonstration projects are critical elements of DOE's strategy to capture the very real opportunities associated with water power development, and to further define the path to supplying 15% of the nation's electricity through water power technologies.

DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy invests in clean energy technologies that strengthen the economy, protect the environment, and reduce dependence on foreign oil. DOE's Water Power Program is paving the way for industry and government to make sound investment and policy decisions about the deployment of renewable water power technologies by quantifying the nation's theoretically available water power resources.