Whirlpool Sets Smart-Grid Compatibility Goal for 2015

May 11, 2009

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Whirlpool Corp. wants to make all of its electronically-controlled appliances smart-grid compatible by 2015.

Citing the company’s leadership in energy and water efficiency, Bracken Darrell, president of Whirlpool Europe, and executive vice president of Whirlpool Corporation, at the EE Global Forum & Exhibition in Paris, stressed the importance of collaboration among industry, government institutions, NGOs, utilities and other stakeholders to drive meaningful energy conservation.

Darrell says two requirements are necessary to meet the company’s target goal. He says there needs to be the development of an open, global standard for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from a home appliance by the end of 2010, and policies must be in place that reward consumers, manufacturers and utilities for using and adding these new peak demand reduction capabilities.

Podcasts of Bracken Darrell and others who attended EE Global are available for download or play.

Currently, Whirlpool offers a selection of appliances with eco-efficiency and smart design including the Duet washer and dryer and Cabrio HE washer products that deliver both water and energy savings. The company also recently updated its Classic conventional washer for energy and water savings.

Some competitors are moving ahead with the development of their smart appliances. As an example, GE Consumer & Industrial recently announced plans to launch a suite of “energy-management-enabled appliances” that can receive a signal from local utility companies that participate in tiered rate programs to help consumers manage their peak energy usage.

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