Lady LUX

One of the most beautiful and pristine locations in the US, Hawaii, will soon get an eco-electricity makeover thanks to General Electric!

For those of you who might not know, Hawaii is one of the most dependent states on fossil fuels, though they also have great potential for more eco-alternatives.

GE has just announced that it’s leading the charge to help Hawaii implement more renewable energy resources and successfully manage their current electricity peak hours. This is wonderful news for the health of our planet.

With the launch of their new initiative, ‘The Maui Smart Grid Project,’ the focus will be bringing the smart grid technologies into the picture. They will first begin testing this new system in a luxury resort in the Wailea community located in Maui. The aim is to reduce the energy consumption by 15% within the next 3 years. In order to have a successful test program, GE has partnered with Maui Electric Company, Hawaiian Electric Company, the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute of the University of Hawaii and the U.S. Department of Energy to meet these ambitious numbers.

“Hawaii has phenomenal wind and solar energy potential, so incorporating higher percentages of renewable power makes perfect sense,” said Bob Gilligan, vice president of GE Energy’s transmission and distribution business. “GE Energy’s smart grid technologies will help MECO reliably manage and integrate these renewable energy sources, while increasing the grid’s energy productivity and efficiency.”

This initiative will include installing ‘smart wall-based units’ to replace current meters in individual homes to help measure the output of electrical appliances and be able to regulate the electricity output remotely. The idea is to reduce consumption during peak hours as much as possible, both saving energy and in the long-term saving the individual homeowners money as well! This is what we call a LUX-tastic approach to energy conservation.

“Eventually, advanced metering and the smart grid will be all across the country,” Rosegg said. “They can learn a lot here on a small, easily manageable grid.”

Pilot programs such as this are rolling out in about 70 different locations across the United States, though this is the first of its kind in Hawaii.

So LUXies, what are your thoughts? Do you support programs such as this?

Tagged in: green, hawaii, clean energy, maui, maui smart grid project, renewable energy, reduction in peak hours, general electric,