Using a robust wireless sensor network, SynapSense’s solutions measure and manage the environmental conditions and power usage throughout data centers, resulting in a 10 percent reduction in overall energy consumption for typical, enterprise-class data centers. The technology offers commercial relationship opportunities with GE’s Digital Energy business and its Intelligent Platforms business with its visualization and energy management offerings.

GE and its venture capital partners today announced a collective investment of $55 million in leading power grid technology companies as part of the $200 million “GE ecomagination Challenge.” This is the first of several rounds of innovation funding planned by GE and its venture capital partners as part of the Challenge, a global commitment to accelerate the development and deployment of power grid technology through open collaboration.

GE has formed and accelerated a dozen new partnerships to date with entrants to develop and commercialize technologies vital to helping build the next-generation power grid. These technologies include energy storage, utility security, energy management software and electric vehicle charging services. GE expects these markets to grow rapidly into a $20 billion opportunity by 2015.