The first time I heard of the GE GeoSpring Hybrid Hot Water Heater, I did a double take (virtually). I think I was looking for something totally unrelated and just accidentally stumbled upon it. This product is totally unique, and definitely takes domestic hot water generation in a new and interesting direction.

So first, we all know GE… just your typical technology, media, and financial services company that operates on a worldwide scale. And hot water heaters are just a drop in the bucket of GE products I could – and probably will eventually – review. But I think this is a good place to start for several reasons.

One, people are pretty familiar with the term ‘hybrid’ now. Just the word alone summons up warm fuzzy feelings about doing good for the environment.

Two, this is an area of energy-efficiency that hasn’t really been marketed too heavily to the average residential consumer yet (at least that I’ve seen).

And Three, Americans are very interested in energy efficiency now. For those that aren’t specifically interested in lowering their carbon footprint or wasting less resources, there’s the financial implications.

The GeoSpring claims to use 1,856 kW per year (62% less than a standard 50-gallon electric water heater, based on DOE test procedures at a 68°F ambient temperature), which correlates to an annual savings of $320 at approximately $0.106/kWh energy rate. It operates with a ‘dual fuel’ scenario that sends the ambient air through an evaporator to extract the heat and transfer it to the water. The unit obviously also includes a backup heat source – electricity – that is programmed to take over if the stored water temperature falls below the setpoint (adjustable). And of course, with a purchase price of $1,600 the unit qualifies for a federal tax credit for energy-efficient appliances of $480 (30% of the cost). This makes payback very quick – using the rate noted above – at slightly less than 4.5 years.

The unit sports a “user-friendly” electronic control system that allows consumers as much or as little control as they’d prefer. So someone like me could putter around with night setbacks, while someone less interested in that kind of thing could implement the ‘set it and forget it’ methodology.

So this thing is pretty much awesome, right? Well there’s one more question I had… if that heat extraction comes with an associated measurable temperature drop (that could act as a benefit in the summer and an area of deficiency in the winter). Obviously this is only an issue depending on where the water heater is to be located (conditioned or non-conditioned space). GE does address this issue on their FAQ page, and states that “If our heat pump water heater is in a "conditioned space" inside the home such as in a utility room, the cooling and dehumidifying effect of the hybrid will decrease the load on the AC system during cooling months (summer) and increase the load on the furnace during heating months (winter).” And I can definitely get on board with an explanation like that.

So all in all, it sounds like the GeoSpring would be a good and interesting buy. Even with my low utility rate of $0.06/kWh payback is still a pretty reasonable 6.2 years. So when it comes time to replace my water heater, this is definitely an option I’ll be looking into.

 

Use of the GE GeoSpring Hybrid Hot Water Heater may contribute to the following credits:

* EA Prerequisite 2: Minimum Energy Performance
* EA Credit 1: Optimize Energy Performance, Design and Construction

Related Products:

• Eco Global Infra-Red Tankless Hot Water Generator