FMC-Tech has developed a system that delivers dramatically improved network performance at lower cost.

FORBES: GE Gobbles Up More of the Smart Grid

Plus, FMC sells recession-resistant chemicals like coatings for pills, and a third of its revenue comes from specialty chemicals, including lithium, the raw material for the next generation of electric-vehicle batteries ( click here for related story).

FORBES: Magazine Article

Meanwhile, DuPont has surged 21 percent and Philadelphia-based chemical giant FMC Corporation is up 9 percent.

FORBES: Yields Trigger Chemical Stock Reaction

Other competitors in the energy sector include: FMC Technologies (FTI), National-Oilwell Varco (NOV), and Dril-Quip (DRQ).

FORBES: Earnings Preview: Cameron International

By taking the plunge on FMC Tech, GE is expanding its offerings in a particularly promising area of the smart-grid space: distribution automation.

FORBES: GE Gobbles Up More of the Smart Grid

FMC's aim, of course, is to provide the gaiatsu excuse that the Japanese authorities need to concede--after an appropriate amount of sucking their breath regretfully through clenched teeth.

ECONOMIST: Shipping in Japan