As Yves Behar designed GE's charging station for electric vehicles, he envisioned a form that was "as far away as possible" from a gas station pump. Instead of a square, bulky shape, he strove for a sleek silhouette.

The code name for the project was Bloom, and Behar's goal was to create a functional and efficient device that is attractive, distinctive and, most importantly, "integrates with the urban landscape," he said.

The charging station Behar delivered does just that said General Electric's Mike Mahon. "It's a very functional design and very elegant," said Mahon.

The device, now called the GE WattStation, stands just under four-and-a-half feet tall in a column reminiscent of a plant stem. The column flares as it rises and is topped by an circular display surface the size and shape of an inverted dinner plate.

According to GE, it will deliver one of the faster, full charges available by cutting charging time to as little as four to eight hours, compared to 12 to 18 hours.

The WattStation made its debut Tuesday in San Francisco, where the company presented its latest initiative and products to convert the existing electrical grid -- premised on 19th century technology and business models -- into a digital energy network to serve the needs of the 21st century and beyond.

In addition to the WattStation, GE took the wraps off its home energy management device called the Nucleus. The company also announced its $200 million Ecomagination Challenge. The innovation competition funded by GE and four venture capital firms is intended to catapult the best ideas for advancing the smart grid from concept or early stage to large-scale commercialization. (GreenBiz.com coverage of the Ecomagination Challenge is available here.)

GE wants to be a leader in providing the products that will help power the future. In addition to development of its own products, the world's largest industrial company is increasingly interested in the development of cleantech energy products outside the company. The digital energy space currently represents a $2 billion market for GE and a $15 billion to $20 billion market overall, GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt said Tuesday. The market is forecast to grow to some $110 billion by 2030, and smart companies and investors will position themselves now to take advantage of that growth, he said.

Yesterday's presentation demonstrated GE's efforts to do so:

• The firm is "doubling down," Immelt said, on its R&D investments for ecomagination, the product line designed to deliver high performance, increased energy efficiency and sharply reduced greenhouse gas emissions. The company has invested $5 billion in ecomagination R&D since its inception in 2005. It has committed to investing another $10 billion in the coming five years.
• Launched with 17 products, the ecomagination portfolio now includes more than 90. In the next 24 months, about 30 other products will be added to the roster, Immelt said.
• GE Energy Financial Services now holds $23 billion in energy-related investments worldwide. Last October, the head of the unit talked with GreenBiz Senior Writer Marc Gunther about how and where GE is placing its cleantech bets. GE upped that ante yesterday in announcing the innovation challenge, its commitment to provide half the capital for the fund and its aim of providing a guiding hand and a "commercial relationship" to competition winners.
• The introduction of the WattStation, through the ecomagination line, and the Nucleus, through GE Appliances & Lighting, illustrate the company's push to make its products integral in people's daily routines as the smart grid develops.

Next Page: Video on how the WattStation works.