Saturday, March 15, 2014

French Developers and GE Fuel Wind Energy Growth in France

GE Press Release:

French Developers and GE Fuel Wind Energy Growth in France

March 10, 2014

BARCELONA, SPAIN---March 10, 2014---Helping France to reach its goal of generating 23 percent of its power from renewable sources by the year 2020, GE (NYSE: GE) will supply 27 2.85-megawatt (MW) wind turbines and related services for several wind farm projects in northern France. The projects are each owned and built by French developers Boralex Inc. (TSX: BLX), InnoVent GmbH and a Belgic company. The importance of health and safety is shared among the developer companies and GE.

The Picardy and Nord-Pas-de-Calais regions are well suited for wind projects because of high winds and large agricultural areas available for installations. There is already more than 1,000 MW of wind energy in Picardy and 500 MW in Nord Pas-de-Calais.

Slated for installation in three villages in Picardy (Andechy, Goyencourt and Villers-lès-Roye), about 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of Paris, the Roye projects will include 16 GE 2.85-103 wind turbines. The new Roye projects are located near the existing Laucort and Beuvraignes wind farm built by other developers but also powered by GE wind turbines. For the Fortel projects, GE will install 11 of the same turbines in the village of Fortel-en-Artois, in Nord Pas-de-Calais in northern France.

"We have made a formal commitment to promote occupational health and safety in all of our installations worldwide, and we look for suppliers who are willing to partner with us to achieve those goals," said Patrick Decostre, managing director Europe, Boralex. "GE's wind technology is amongst the world's best and its high-power output and reliability will ensure project success, but what attracted us just as much was that GE shares our view on the importance of health and safety issues. GE showed it is willing to work with us jointly in those areas and was flexible and helpful in structuring their services to support our needs."

The contracts include wind turbine manufacturing, shipment, installation and a five-year service agreement. The service agreement covers all planned maintenance such as remote monitoring, routine services, preventative maintenance and on-site and parts support. It also covers unplanned maintenance such as up-tower inspection/repair, condition monitoring and turbine performance and life-extension solutions.

"At GE, we are convinced of the importance of cooperation among all of the various entities involved in safety at wind farms, and we were glad to share the same view with Boralex and InnoVent. This includes all the steps necessary to make sure the workplace is productive and safe and to protect the well-being of everyone involved," said Cliff Harris, general manager of GE's renewable energy business in Europe. "We have a safety culture born from GE's aircraft engines, gas turbines and nuclear business as well as the railroad and medical industries, all of which have been applied to our wind business. GE works with our customers to help them address their most important needs and offers a broad portfolio of products and services to reach those goals."

"GE regularly reviews its procedures and products in order to be safer, and we're always monitoring the latest regulations, rules and codes to make sure our products are compliant. GE's workers also are trained to take responsibility for personal injury prevention. GE's workers, as 'industrial athletes,' receive gym memberships, healthy eating education and stretching programs to begin the working day," Harris added.

GE's 2.85-103-MW wind turbine offers high output along with high efficiency, reliability and grid connection capabilities. The rotor length of 103 meters, in combination with GE's advanced grid integration technology, helps balance power output with rapid demand and dispatch cycles, ensuring that these units support the highest reliability and availability standards within Europe.

About GE

GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.

About GE Power & Water

GE Power & Water provides customers with a broad array of power generation, energy delivery and water process technologies to solve their challenges locally. Power & Water works in all areas of the energy industry including renewable resources such as wind and solar; biogas and alternative fuels; and coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy. The business also develops advanced technologies to help solve the world's most complex challenges related to water availability and quality. Power & Water's six business units include Distributed Power, Nuclear Energy, Power Generation Products, Power Generation Services, Renewable Energy and Water & Process Technologies. Headquartered in Schenectady, N.Y., Power & Water is GE's largest industrial business.

GE Launches Advanced Technology Space Frame Tower for Wind Turbines

GE Press Release:

GE Launches Advanced Technology Space Frame Tower for Wind Turbines

March 10, 2014

BARCELONA, SPAIN---March 10, 2014---Today, GE's (NYSE: GE) renewable energy business announced the introduction of its new space frame tower for multi-megawatt wind turbines at the European Wind Energy Association's annual conference in Barcelona, Spain. The five-legged enclosed lattice tower from GE enables towers up to 139 meters to be built more cost-effectively in never before accessible locations, using a logistics-friendly model of standard shipping methods and on-site assembly.

"The space frame tower helps our customers go taller in new locations, further enabling the growth of wind energy," said Cliff Harris, general manager of GE's renewable energy business in Europe. "This next innovation in wind turbine technology is a stepping stone towards towers taller than 150 meters in Europe. GE will continue to drive innovation and advanced technology for the wind industry in the coming years."

The space frame tower is being introduced with GE's new 2.75-120 wind turbine and was demonstrated in a full-scale turbine at GE's prototype site in Tehachapi, Calif. The lattice tower is assembled at wind farm locations and then wrapped in an architectural fabric to provide familiar solid structural aesthetics. The tower improves serviceability with increased space down-tower, maintenance-free bolting system and custom methods and fixtures for efficient installation and dismantling.

The space frame tower features a wide base supported by five legs that provide more room at the base of the tower than a traditional tubular tower. The additional down-tower space allows for storage within the turbine for ease in maintenance, site organization and balance of plant. Parts manufacturing can be automated with the space frame tower to optimize quality control of the structure. The fabric casing is durable, weather resistant and does not need to be replaced during turbine life.

The space frame tower is a product of GE's technology evolution and investment. GE has invested more than $2 billion into renewable energy research and development to continually provide customers with the most advanced wind technology available and position wind as a mainstream energy source.

About GE

About GE Power & Water

GE Introduces Smart, Powerful 2.75-120 Wind Turbine

GE Press Release:

GE Introduces Smart, Powerful 2.75-120 Wind Turbine

March 10, 2014

BARCELONA, SPAIN---March 10, 2014---Today at the European Wind Energy Association's annual conference, GE (NYSE: GE) announced its 2.75-120 wind turbine, a smarter, more powerful turbine. Part of GE's brilliant wind platform, the 2.75-120 provides 5 percent more annual energy production than GE's2.5-120 model and is available with various tower technologies, ranging between 85-139 meters, and optional energy storage.

"As we accelerate our platform's growth in Europe, we will continue to invest in technology such as the 2.75-120's flexible tower and other energy storage options, making GE's wind turbines more customizable for developers and operators," said Cliff Harris, general manager of GE's renewable energy business in Europe.

The 2.75-120 is available on a steel, hybrid or space frame tower, helping to tailor the turbine for unique site conditions and bring wind power to new places across the continent. The range of tower height spans 85-139 meters tall.

Short-term or long-term energy storage is available with the 2.75-120, making wind power more predictable, flexible and fast responding through battery software applications. Short-term storage is integrated at the turbine level and long-term storage is centralized for the wind farm. These options further customize GE's offering based on-site or operator needs.

The 2.75-120 follows the success of its predecessor, the 2.5-120, announced in February 2013. Forty-four are being supplied to eight new German wind farms. The 2.75-120 is part of GE's brilliant wind turbine platform and utilizes the power of the Industrial Internet to analyze tens of thousands of data points every second, driving higher output, improving services productivity and creating new revenue streams for customers.

The 2.75-120 wind turbine is part of GE ecomagination---the company's commitment to technology solutions that save money and reduce environmental impact for customers. In February, GE renewed its commitment to ecomagination announcing it would invest $10 billion additional in research and development by 2020. Part of that investment will go to the work to reduce the cost and increase the output of GE wind turbines to lower wind power generation costs.
About GE

About GE Power & Water

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

GE Energy Consulting Signs Software License Agreement with China Electric Power Research Institute

GE Press Release:

GE Energy Consulting Signs Software License Agreement with China Electric Power Research Institute

March 6, 2014

SCHENECTADY, N.Y.---March 6, 2014---Building on a long-standing business relationship, GE Energy Consulting and the renewable energy department of China Electric Power Research Institute (CEPRI) have agreed to a three-year license arrangement allowing CEPRI to use GE's Multi-Area Production Simulation (MAPS) software. The renewable energy department of CEPRI (a subsidiary of State Grid Corporation of China) provides key technical support for the growth of renewables in the country. For example, it is building up its capability to perform production simulations for renewables integration studies.

As the electric power industry rapidly evolves, one thing has remained constant---the need to accurately model the economic operation of the power system in order to make informed decisions. GE's MAPS software allows users to assess the value of a portfolio of generating units, identify transmission constraints that negatively impact the economic operation of the system and to accurately analyze the complex interaction between the generation and transmission assets on the system.

The MAPS software is part of GE's broader Concorda software suite that also includes PSLF* (power systems loadflow) and MARS* software. GE Energy Consulting develops, commercially licenses and supports these internationally recognized products that are widely used for planning and simulating electric power grids, assessing the economic performance of large electricity markets and evaluating generation reliability.

About GE's Energy Consulting Group

For nearly a century, GE's Energy Consulting experts have focused on solving the electric power industry's most pressing challenges---driving the evolution of electric power systems with greater affordability, reliability, and efficiency. Today, GE's Energy Consulting team continues this tradition by providing innovative solutions across the entire spectrum of power generation, delivery and utilization. With our cross-company resources, GE's Energy Consulting business is able to serve a diverse global client base with a strong local presence.

About GE

*Trademark of General Electric Company

GE Albeo™ LED Lighting Is Natural Fit for Natural Grocers' Stores and Distribution Center

GE Press Release:

GE Albeo™ LED Lighting Is Natural Fit for Natural Grocers' Stores and Distribution Center

March 4, 2014

EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio --- March 4, 2014 --- (NYSE:GE) --- With a mission to support the environment and minimize energy use, it is only natural for Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage to incorporate all-LED lighting in its distribution center and new grocery stores. The rapidly growing company has installed such fixtures as GE's Albeo™ linear lighting fixtures and LED high bay lighting fixtures---chosen for their energy efficiency, ease of installation and customizable configurations.

Compared to fluorescent and high intensity discharge (HID) lighting, the LED lighting is expected to reduce Natural Grocers' energy usage by more than 1.7 million kilowatt hours (kWh) across 40 locations and its distribution center, saving the natural and organic food and product retailer nearly $193,000 each year.

"In everything we do and provide, we are committed to being environmentally responsible. Utilizing LED lighting fixtures throughout each new store is a smart, visible way that we demonstrate this commitment," said Kevin Stees, construction project manager for Natural Grocers. "Using LED lighting rather than fluorescent or incandescent lighting saves energy and reduces maintenance and recycling needs, allowing us to focus on what we care about---offering the very best to our customers while reducing our impact on the environment."

Natural Grocers' usage of GE's LED lighting in its stores and distribution center will reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by more than 2.5 million pounds, equivalent to removing 234 cars from roads for a year or planting 334 acres of trees.

Lakewood, Colo.-based Natural Grocers, which began in 1955 as a family business, uses environmentally sensitive materials throughout its stores and offers bag-free shopping for customers. Its leaders identifiedGE's Albeo LED lighting fixtures as the preferred means to illuminate new stores, which range from 12,000--25,000 square feet and can be found in 13 western states from Texas to Montana. The energy-efficient LED lighting provides a high lumen output and has a high color rendering index (CRI) of 90+ that helps enhance the visual appeal of fresh produce, prepared foods and other merchandise.

At each new store, GE customized the mounting scheme by configuring and matching different lengths of the ALC3-Series LED lighting fixtures to fit a variety of store formats and lighting layouts. Additionally, Albeo products contain 'plug-and-play' features and are specially designed for quick installation, which simplifies electrical needs, helps reduce contractor labor costs, and speeds up the overall lighting system installation---key for Natural Grocers, which often opens two new stores per month.

Compared to lighting that is typically used in grocery stores, the LED lighting in Natural Grocers' 40 new locations is expected to use 38 percent less energy---or fewer than 1.5 million kWh annually. This translates to a total savings of nearly $170,000 each year in energy costs.

At the distribution center in Golden, Colo., Natural Grocers replaced 400-watt HID metal halides without motion sensors with 157-watt Albeo ABHX-Series LED high bay lighting fixtures with motion control, providing a 93 percent energy savings and reducing overall maintenance needs. Natural Grocers is expected to save more than $23,000 annually in energy costs alone. The ABHX-Series' life is rated for 100,000 hours at L70, or 70 percent of the initial light output, compared to HID, which can burn out after 20,000 hours.

"Albeo LED lighting provides energy and maintenance savings and flexibility in its usage," said David Stewart, industrial brand manager for GE Lighting. "Through these innovative fixtures, GE is pleased to support Natural Grocers' commitment to environmentally sensitive operations."

The Albeo ABHX-Series was recognized in the category of "Industrial Luminaires - high bay" in the 2013 Next Generation Luminaires™ (NGL) Solid-State Lighting Design Indoor Competition, which recognizes excellence in energy-efficient LED commercial lighting unit design. The ABHX-Series also earned 2013 Architectural SSL Magazine and Architectural Products Magazine Product Innovation awards, which showcase cutting-edge solid-state lighting fixtures.

About GE Lighting
GE Lighting invents with the vigor of its founder Thomas Edison to develop energy-efficient solutions that change the way people light their world in commercial, industrial, municipal and residential settings. The business employs about 13,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells products under the reveal® and Energy Smart® consumer brands, and Evolve™, GTx™, Immersion™, Infusion™, Lumination™, Albeo™ and Tetra® commercial brands, all trademarks of GE. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information, visit www.gelighting.com.

50 Years of LED Innovation
Oct. 9, 1962, GE scientist Dr. Nick Holonyak, Jr., invented the first practical visible-spectrum light-emitting diode (LED). In the 50 years since, GE has been on the forefront of LED innovation. The company has released inspired LED products for both residential and commercial settings, from the first ENERGY STAR®-qualified A19-shaped LED bulb to LED street lighting that illuminates cityscapes the world over.

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Saturday, March 15, 2014