Such a grid is being tested at the army's model forward operating base (FOB) in Fort Irwin, California, along with prototypes of a mobile, hybrid power station that combines solar panels and wind turbines with a conventional generator.

ECONOMIST: Monitor

But having a partner like GE, with a global salesforce and a huge customer base, is likely to prove a huge boost for the smart grid companies backed by GE.

FORBES: GE Picks First Dozen Smart-Grid Ecomagination Winners