GE Appliances announced that two of its products--the GE Hybrid Electric Water Heater and GE Tankless Gas Water Heater, both currently in development, will meet the DOE's new Energy Star program for heat pump water heaters and tankless water heaters.

The GE Hybrid Electric Water Heater is designed to provide the same hot water homeowners are accustomed to, but requires only about half the energy to produce it. For example, based on the same size standard tank water heater that uses approximately 4800 kWh per year, the new GE Hybrid Electric Water Heater is designed to use less than half of that energy--or about 2300 kWh per year ¨C a savings of approximately 2500 kWh per year, and save approximately $250 per year, and $2,500 savings in energy costs over a 10-year period based on $0.10 per kWh.

The new GE Tankless Gas Water Heater provides hot water while using less energy than a standard tank gas water heater because it only activates when you need hot water and it immediately de-activates when you turn off the water. This demand-activated technology allows consumers to receive a continuous supply of hot water and translates into energy savings. GE says that a tankless gas water heater could help homeowners save up to 25% annually on water heating costs compared to the operating costs of a standard 40-gallon gas tank water heater.