CES2013: Ford, Eaton, SunPower and Whirlpool Team Up for Electric Energy Initiative

Ford has announced an electrical energy initiative, designed to leverage data relative to their electric vehicle business to save homeowners money by more efficiently consuming electricity.  Read on for details.

Ford has announced an electrical energy initiative, designed to leverage data relative to their electric vehicle business to save homeowners money by more efficiently consuming electricity. Ford has developed a database of electricity pricing which allows them to predict the manner in which you can consume electricity, moving energy-intensive uses like running your refrigerator’s ice maker at night during off-peak hours to save.  Ford developed the database to assist electric vehicle customers in minimizing their electricity spend, and decided to collaborate with appliance and electrical panel manufacturers with the data to help manage your electrical spend and usage.  Here is the press release from Ford:

Ford, Eaton, SunPower and Whirlpool Team Up for Electric Energy Initiative

• Ford launches MyEnergi Lifestyle® collaboration to show how a typical American family can significantly reduce their electricity bills and CO2 footprint by integrating today’s home appliance and plug-in vehicle technology
• Georgia Institute of Technology computer model predicts a 60 percent reduction in energy costs and savings of more than 9,000 kg of CO2 (55 percent reduction) from a single home when changes from a MyEnergi Lifestyle product are incorporated; if every home in the U.S. were to implement these energy-saving technologies, it would be the equivalent of taking all the homes in California, New York and Texas off the power grid (32 million homes)
• Ford and its business associates will highlight MyEnergi Lifestyle technologies and detailed modeling results at the 2013 International CES in Las Vegas, Jan. 8-12

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 8, 2013 – Ford Motor Company today announces a strategic collaboration that will demonstrate how a typical American family can significantly reduce their electricity bills and CO2 footprint by integrating home appliance technology with a plug-in vehicle to achieve an energy-efficient lifestyle.

The Ford-led MyEnergi Lifestyle® collaboration – comprised of leaders in the home appliance, renewable energy and power management industries – includes Eaton (NYSE: ETN), SunPower (NASDAQ: SPWR) and Whirlpool (NYSE: WHR). Additional featured companies include semiconductor provider Infineon (FSE: IFX / OTCQX: IFNNY) and Nest Labs, with its latest learning thermostat represented in the research and implementation phase of the collaboration.

Specifically, MyEnergi Lifestyle showcases how combining renewable energy generation with “time-flexible” loads optimizes energy consumption across a plug-in vehicle and home appliances.

Ford and its business associates worked with researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology to create a computer model that calculates the electricity usage of a typical single family in their home for one year and the associated savings with moving to an energy-efficient lifestyle. The cumulative results predict a 60 percent reduction in energy costs and more than 9,000 kg of CO2 (55 percent reduction) saved from a single home. If every home in the U.S. were to implement these energy-saving technologies, it would be the equivalent of taking all the homes in California, New York and Texas off the power grid (32 million homes).

Additional results from the Georgia Tech computer model, including in-depth associate product savings, will be revealed at Ford’s display during the 2013 International CES in Las Vegas, Jan. 8-12.

To create a real-world example of how attainable, affordable and convenient a sustainable lifestyle can be, MyEnergi Lifestyle collaborators also announce plans to award a typical American family with delivery and installation of energy-saving products from each company, along with other leading energy-efficient products. All contest and promotion details will be included in a separate announcement soon.

“More than ever, cars are sharing the same energy source as the home,” says Mike Tinskey, global director of Vehicle Electrification and Infrastructure, Ford Motor Company. “The time is right for the home appliance and transportation sectors to converge if we are going to tackle a myriad of sustainability challenges in a rapidly changing world.”

The average American home uses more than 11,000 kWh of electricity a year, says Warwick Stirling, global director for Energy and Sustainability, Whirlpool Corporation. “But with recent technology advancements in our appliances, a family can use energy smarter and more efficiently,” he adds.

“SunPower is offering Ford plug-in vehicle owners the world’s most efficient solar power systems to ensure they maximize emission-free power generation for use at home and for their vehicles,” says Ken Fong, SunPower general manager, Americas. “SunPower systems offer the industry’s best warranty, so homeowners can count on 25 years or more of clean power to support their sustainability goals and generate significant annual savings on their electricity bills.”

“As innovation in home electrical technology advances, so does the need for safe, reliable and efficient power distribution,” says Joanne Edwards, vice president and general manager, Residential Division, Eaton. “At the same time, giving homeowners the tools to tap into the details of distributed power for their homes allows them to modify their behavior and further reduce energy consumption.”

Driving change: Technology trends

A plug-in vehicle is the largest electrified product most people will ever buy, and it serves as a catalyst for adoption of products that reduce CO2 and save money. Recent advancements in several technologies make this an ideal time to demonstrate the benefits that can be achieved by optimizing a home energy footprint.

Key factors driving MyEnergi Lifestyle include:

• Electric vehicles, like the all-new Ford C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid, are more efficient and can charge during the low-cost electricity hours
• Appliance efficiency has improved dramatically over the past decade
• Hot water heaters are more efficient and use nighttime electricity
• Connected appliances can use less energy during peak periods
• The Nest Learning Thermostat programs itself and automatically saves energy when a homeowner is away
• Efficient, reliable and affordable rooftop solar systems enable families to generate renewable energy and save money on utility bills
• Connected devices enable smarter use of energy

In addition to the energy benefits directly received from the latest product offerings of Ford, Eaton, SunPower and Whirlpool, the widespread deployment of smart meters (now in more than 40 million homes across the U.S.) enables households to take advantage of off-peak rates.