GE’s “eco Kitchen” Appliances Help Consumers Save 20 Percent on Electricity

January 09, 2012

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Jan. 9, 2012 – (NYSE:GE) – Interested in a new, energy-efficient kitchen? Many consumers support the need to reduce home energy use through more efficient appliances. According to a recent survey, 78 percent of Americans think it is “very beneficial” for appliances to become more energy efficient.[1]

GE® now makes it easy to assemble a kitchen full of energy-efficient appliances. GE’s new “ecomagination℠” suite of appliances can help reduce electricity consumption in the average U.S. kitchen by up to 20 percent (compared to standard appliances). Ecomagination kitchens include:

GE’s double-oven electric ranges: If consumers use the smaller oven 50 percent of the time, they can reduce energy use by up to 25 percent compared to GE’s 5.3 cubic foot single oven.
GE’s over-the-range microwave ovens with Power Saver feature: When activated, the Power Saver feature reduces energy lost during standby mode. Regular use of the Power Saver button can reduce annual microwave energy consumption by more than 20 percent.[2]
GE’s ENERGY STAR®-qualified dishwashers: GE’s ENERGY STAR-qualified dishwashers can reduce energy and water use by approximately 10 percent over non-qualified dishwashers.
GE’s ENERGY STAR-qualified refrigerators: ENERGY STAR refrigerators can reduce energy use by 20 percent compared to non-qualified refrigerators.

GE’s ecomagination(SM) kitchen appliance package can help reduce electricity consumption in the average U.S. kitchen by as much as 20 percent.

“The ecomagination initiative is GE’s company-wide commitment to imagine and build innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental challenges,” said Rod Barry, director of Efficiency and Environmental Relations for GE Appliances. “At GE Appliances we are rapidly expanding our ENERGY STAR® and ecomagination product offerings because it’s what consumers want and is the right thing to do for our planet.”

In 2010, GE sold 2.5 million ecomagination kitchen appliances designed to avoid more than 130,000 metric tons of associated CO₂ emissions on the U.S. grid per year. That’s equivalent to the annual CO₂ emissions of more than 25,000 cars on U.S. roads.

Good for the environment and your wallet
In addition to being happily surprised by lower electrical bills, consumers may benefit in other ways, too. In some areas, the purchase of ENERGY STAR appliances can make consumers eligible for utility rebates. To learn more, consumers can visit www.geappliances.com/rebates_promotions/american-recovery-act-state-appliance-rebates.htm to see a comprehensive website on the latest rebates and incentives.

[1] “Public Attitudes Toward Energy Efficiency and Appliance Efficiency Standards,” Consumer Federation of America, March 2011

[2] Based on estimate of 12 minutes microwave use per day.

About GE Appliances & Lighting
GE Appliances & Lighting spans the globe as an industry leader in major appliances, lighting, systems and services for commercial, industrial and residential use. Technology innovation and the company's ecomagination (SM) initiative enable GE Appliances & Lighting to aggressively bring to market products and solutions that help customers meet pressing environmental challenges. General Electric (NYSE: GE), imagination at work, sells products under the Monogram®, Profile™, Café™, GE®, Hotpoint®, Reveal® and Energy Smart® consumer brands, and Tetra®, Vio™ and Immersion® commercial brands. For more information, consumers may visit www.ge.com.

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