1880 - 1900 |
| 1882 | - | First arc blast arrester for the protection of high current switching components |
| 1885 | - | First magnetic blowout lightning arrester for the protection of arc lightning and other circuits. The principle of the magnetic blowout has since been employed in the design of modern high-current switching devices. |
| 1886 | - | First commercially practical transformer is used in the first AC lighting installation in the U.S. at Great Barrington, Massachusetts. |
| 1887 | - | First repulsion induction motor |
| 1889 | - | First automatic measurement of power utilization - Thompson Integrating Watt-meter |
| 1890 | - | Law of Hysteresis-Steinmetz |
| 1894 | - | First high voltage, oil immersed switch or circuit breaker |
| 1900 | - | GE Research Laboratory founded |
1901 - 1949 |
| 1902 | - | First GE patents on electric fan |
| 1914 | - | First AC contactor cagnets |
| 1915 | - | First full voltage magnetic starter (CR7006) |
| | - | First snap action knife blade with thermal cutouts |
| 1918 | - | First bimetal overload relay patented |
| 1925 | - | First temperature compensated residential meter |
| 1928 | - | First commercial refrigerator installed at the New England Power Company's Pawtucket, Rhode Island, station. It's use of hydrogen in place of air reduces friction and heat losses. |
| | - | First metal-clad switchgear introduced for outdoor switching stations |
| 1929 | - | First major application of electronic control. GE supplied the Chicago Civic Opera with step-less electronic theater lighting control |
| 1930 | - | First totally enclosed fan-cooled induction motor |
| | - | First "Thyrite" lightning arrester for protection of transmission lines |
| | - | First electronic control of motors |
| 1933 | - | First variable speed AC motor control |
| 1935 | - | Theory of high-pressure arcs demonstrated using thyratron and phanatron tubes to convert alternating current to direct current and back again |
| 1938 | - | First formex wire enamel for use in electric motors |
| 1948 | - | First watt-hour meter (type I-50) with magnetic suspension |
| | - | First vertical lift starters |
| 1949 | - | First molded instrument transformer (type JKM-3, 5kv) introduced |
1950 - 1969 |
| 1950 | - | New Research & Design Center dedicated. It constitutes one of the world's largest and most modern research laboratories. |
| | - | First variable speed DC drives introduced based on using magnetics |
| 1955 | - | First numerical control of machine tools - referred to as "The Greatest Innovation in Metalworking of the Century" |
| 1956 | - | First magnetic "static control" modular logic system |
| 1957 | - | Steel mill silicon controlled rectifiers logic control |
| | - | First horizontal motion starters 100-line |
| 1960 | - | Silicon controlled power rectifier systems |
| | - | First electronic "static control" modular logic system |
| 1961 | - | High capacity vacuum interrupters introduced for protection and control of medium voltage power systems. It enables the development of smaller, lighter, power breakers requiring less maintenance. |
| 1962 | - | First solid-state control applied to a battery-powered fork lift truck |
| | - | First U.S. trial of automatic meter reading system |
| 1963 | - | MAGVAR capacitor dielectric system revolutionizes the design of power capacitors |
| 1965 | - | First 500kv air blast circuit breaker. The breaker features the largest non-porcelain insulator column ever applied. |
| 1968 | - | Silcomatic variable speed drives introduced using solid state thyristors |
| | - | Mark I turbine control introduced using discrete analog electronics |
| | - | First 3-phase block style overload 200-line starters |
| 1969 | - | First adjustable speed AC drive with solid state inverter technology |
1970 - 1989 |
| 1971 | - | First programmable control PC-45 based on sourced PCU |
| 1972 | - | Mark II turbine control introduced using integrated circuit technology |
| 1973 | - | First GE design of general purpose programmable controller (Logitrol Programmable Control) |
| 1974 | - | Mark Century microprocessor numerical control permits limitless control features and functions for automated large machining centers. |
| 1975 | - | Directomatic series variable speed AC drives introduced using thyristor technology |
| 1977 | - | Energy Saver Serv-S-Line motors introduced for heating and air conditioning replacement service. |
| 1981 | - | Helix 2000 Gear-Motor |
| 1981 | - | Load commutated inverter drive technology |
| 1982 | - | Cycloconverters first introduced for use as AC main drives |
| 1983 | - | Series 6 PLC |
| 1985 | - | Digital mill power converter & control |
| 1987 | - | First electronic demand recorder (type DR-87) with telephone modem and industry first line sharing capability |
| 1988 | - | First variable AC drives introduced using IGBT technology. IGBT's are the favored devices for industrial applications. |
1990 - Present |
| 1991 | - | Spectra Electronic CL MCCB |
| | - | Mark V Turbine Control introduced with a PC HMI and with software implemented fault tolerance |
| 1992 | - | ECM™ Program Motor |
| 1995 | - | First open power management system - PMCS |
| 1996 | - | First comprehensive Windows-based meter reading and programming (MeterMate software) |
| 1997 | - | Four 4160V LCI's supplied to Disney Cruise Ships. These provide frequency adjustment for the main propulsion motors. |
| 1998 | - | Innovation series drives are introduced using the latest device and cooling technology. The control is considered the most accurate in the industry. |
| 1999 | - | Mark VI integrated control system for entire turbine power island |
| 2000 | - | First internet energy monitor - ener.ge |
| 2001 | - | AFCI and Record Plus™ MCCB |
| | - | State-of-the-art, web-enabled paralleling switchgear provides emergency standby power to customers (Entellisys Express) |
