Energy Credits for You. Immediate Savings for Your Customers.
Energy Credits for You. Immediate Cost Savings for Your Customers.
Introducing the General Electric Hybrid Energy Star Water Heater
The new GE water heater is one of the few devices we’ve seen that offers something for everyone. Customers can lower their electric bills and get a water heater that can actually pay for itself. Utilities can get energy credits, proven partners in GE and USP, and – ideally – more satisfied customers.
According to recent studies, most homeowners who make the switch from a standard electric water heater to this new unit will save at least the cost of the monthly rental fee (approximately $20 per month) and probably more, depending on their usage and utility rates. Given that the savings can more than offset the monthly fee, some customers could end up with a net savings of $100 per year or even more.
USP leases these water heaters to customers through our utility partners. When a customer signs a lease or rental agreement from USP, an authorized USP contractor is dispatched to install the unit. The homeowner pays no upfront cost for standard installation. Instead, they are responsible for a monthly lease fee, which covers service, repairs and replacement of the water heater when needed.
Electric companies that contract with USP receive energy credits for having USP install these units. Long-term, utilities also benefit by helping customers manage their energy bills.
So, how did GE make an Energy Star water heater that achieves a 2.35 Energy Factor (EF) rating, reducing your water heating expenses up to 62%*, making the cost of electric water heat nearly the same cost as gas? The unit works by using heat pump technology, a concept that “has been around for some time,” according to Joe Tarby, Manager of Business Development for USP. But, as Tarby noted, GE “took a fresh look at it,” and made considerable improvements to the design, which includes a heat pump that is integrated with the water heater.
The heat pump works like an air conditioner in reverse, taking heat from the surrounding air and pumping it into the water heater. This new technology is significantly more efficient than standard electric water heaters, which use a resistance element. In homes where the weather is warm and humid, the heat pump has the added benefit of making the surrounding air cooler.
Utilities aren’t the only ones who are taking notice. The GE water heater won a “Best of What’s New” award from Popular Science magazine in the Home Technology category – the fourth time one of GE’s products received this honor.
At USP, we are currently working with several utilities to provide these new water heaters to their customers. We have also designed a comprehensive program to assist you in helping your customers make the switch from traditional electric water heaters. USP will provide everything from promotional and marketing materials, to customer service and claims administration information.
To learn more about the GE Hybrid water heater and how to implement this program, please visit www.utilitysp.net. You can also email Joe Tarby – Manager of Business Development, jtarby@Utilitysp.net or call him toll-free at (866) 974-4801.
*Based on DOE test procedure and comparison of a 50-gallon standard electric tank water heater using 4881 kWh per year vs. the GE Hybrid water heater using 1856 kWh per year.