Georgia-based Flint Energies has launched a two-year smart grid pilot to understand the potential for GE's Brillion-enabled appliances to save consumers money and reduce peak load when combined with peak-time rebates.

Ten volunteer households in Warner Robins, Georgia, will receive GE's full suite of Brillion-enabled appliances, a programmable thermostat and Nucleus energy manager, as well as GE's new Whole-Home Sensor, which enables consumers to receive real-time energy data without a smart meter. These smart grid-enabled solutions are equipped with intelligent features to reduce energy consumption — or electrical "load" — based on peak-time rebate signals from the utility.

"Peak-demand periods" refer to times of day when a utility sees a peak in electricity demand from consumers, most typically from 2 to 7 p.m. in June through September. Flint customers who reduce electricity consumption during "peak" will receive an 87-cent per kilowatt-hour rebate.

Flint will send signals directly to the home's Nucleus energy manager, which will then communicate that price signal with the thermostat and appliances. Customers can opt to override load-reduction settings at any time, and there is no financial penalty for doing so.

Flint Energies will also be offering GE's full suite of Brillion-enabled solutions at its Flint Appliance Center in Warner Robins, Georgia. Additionally, the retail store will carry GE's Nucleus energy manager and will be the first to carry GE's new Whole-Home Sensor, which measures and communicates real-time household electricity usage.

GE's new Whole-Home Sensor eliminates the need for a smart meter to track electricity consumption. Instead, these sensors attach directly to the member's electrical panel and transmit whole-home energy consumption data to the Nucleus. Each of Flint Energies' pilot participants will also have a Whole-Home Sensor.