Northrop Grumman Receives Highest Assurance for Accuracy of Its Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory

Press release:

News Releases

Northrop Grumman Receives Highest Assurance for Accuracy of Its Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory

FALLS CHURCH, Va., Aug. 15, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) received the rating of Reasonable Assurance from Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance, a third-party verification body, of its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory for calendar years 2010 and 2011. Reasonable Assurance is the highest assurance level currently issued by third-party verifiers for GHG data management and reporting accuracy. Third-party verification is an important element of assuring accuracy of a GHG emissions inventory. According to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), an independent not-for-profit organization working to drive greenhouse gas emissions reduction by businesses and cities, "The climate change debate has moved past the stage of simply stating claims. Third party assurance of publicly reported declarations can boost credibility with external stakeholders." "Northrop Grumman is committed to providing solutions that advance environmental security and reduce the impact of our own business operations on the environment. We are on track to achieve our goal of a 25 percent reduction of GHG emissions, relative to sales, by year-end 2014," said Gloria Flach, corporate vice president and president, Enterprise Shared Services. "The third-party verification of our GHG inventory is a reflection of our commitment to transparency and accountability." Northrop Grumman publicly discloses its annual GHG emissions reductions and related environmental performance through CDP and the company's Corporate Responsibility Report. Northrop Grumman's GHG inventory was prepared according to the requirements of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14064-3:2006 standard. Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.

GE Technology Powers First Landfill-Gas-to-Energy Project in Alaska

Press release:

31 July 2012

GE Technology Powers First Landfill-Gas-to-Energy Project in Alaska

 

• Power Produced by GE’s Jenbacher J420 Gas Engines to Save Military up to $50 Million
• Located on the Joint U.S. Army-Air Force Base, Doyon Utilities’ Project Helps Improve Energy Security for U.S. Military
• Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Held in Anchorage to Celebrate Opening of Plant

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA—July 31, 2012—Doyon Utilities, LLC (Doyon) held a ribbon cutting ceremony today to celebrate the opening of the first landfill-gas-to-energy (LFGTE) project in Alaska, which is powered by GE’s (NYSE: GE) ecomagination-qualified Jenbacher gas engines. Located on the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, a joint U.S. Army and Air Force base, the project will provide approximately half of JBER–Richardson’s 13 megawatts (MW) of peak demand power.

“Beginning in 2013, federal agencies will be required to use renewable energy sources to provide at least 7.5 percent of total electric consumption,” said Dan Gavora, CEO of Doyon Utilities LLC. “GE’s technology allows us to turn landfill gas (methane) into an energy source for the U.S. military base and also into a revenue stream for the municipal utility, which currently flares the gas instead of selling it. In addition, the plant will help the military improve its energy security and move closer to its renewable energy target.”

Doyon will own and operate the facility and will buy the gas produced for at least the next 20 years, with an option for an extension to 40 years, under the agreement with the municipality. According to military officials, the power produced will offset what the military would have to buy from the municipality, which will add up to more than $30 million in savings over the life of the project[1].

The Anchorage Regional Landfill, which opened in 1987, has the capacity to hold 40 million cubic yards of waste. Currently one-third full, the landfill will likely reach capacity around 2045. As the landfill grows, so will the opportunity to increase the LFGTE plant’s capacity.

“This project with Doyon Utilities is another example of how GE’s Jenbacher gas engines are supporting distributed power projects around the world,” said Roger George, regional sales leader, Gas Engines for North America. “Our Jenbacher gas engines provide the fuel flexibility needed to accommodate the use of alternative fuels such as landfill gas while offering high levels of electrical efficiency.”

Western Energy Systems (WES), GE’s authorized distributor for Jenbacher gas engines in Alaska, provided the four Jenbacher J420 engine-generator sets and integrated these with balance of plant equipment required for a successful installation. WES provided project management services for all equipment provided, performed commissioning services, and has opened a product support facility in Anchorage with technicians and parts inventory committed to support this project.

GE's fuel-flexible Jenbacher gas engines are powered by landfill gas, which is created from solid waste decomposition and then recovered as a valuable renewable fuel. This gas would otherwise have been wasted by being released into the atmosphere as a potent greenhouse gas. Methane has a global warming factor that is 21 times greater than carbon dioxide.

GE's Jenbacher J420 landfill gas engines are part of GE’s ecomagination portfolio. To qualify for the ecomagination portfolio, products and services must demonstrate both improved economic value and environmental performance. Ecomagination is GE's commitment to innovative solutions that maximize resources and efficiencies and make the world work better. Overall, GE's Gas Engines business has more than 1,650 units operating on landfill gas with an electrical output of over 1,650 MW.

In a changing world with diverse power needs, GE’s portfolio of innovative distributed power solutions, gives businesses and communities around the world the ability to generate reliable and efficient power using a variety of fuels anywhere, whether on or off the grid. GE’s distributed power solutions gives customers of all types—from industrial businesses, to developing communities, to government officials managing disaster relief and other emergency power situations—the ability to generate reliable, sustainable power whenever and wherever it is needed. GE’s distributed power portfolio includes GE aeroderivative gas turbines, Jenbacher and Waukesha gas engines and waste heat recovery solutions.

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.

GE Energy works connecting people and ideas everywhere to create advanced technologies for powering a cleaner, more productive world. With more than 100,000 employees in over 100 countries, our diverse portfolio of product and service solutions and deep industry expertise help our customers solve their challenges locally. We serve the energy sector with technologies in such areas as natural gas, oil, coal and nuclear energy; wind, solar, biogas and water processing; energy management; and grid modernization. We also offer integrated solutions to serve energy- and water-intensive industries such as mining, metals, marine, petrochemical, food & beverage and unconventional fuels.

Follow GE Energy and ecomagination on Twitter @GE_Energy and@ecomagination

---

[1] http://www.alaskastar.com/Alaska-Star/February-2012/Methane-to-megawatts/

Industry Milestone: GE’s Heavy Duty Gas Turbines Surpass 2 Million Fired Hours on Low Carbon-Intensity Fuels

28 March 2012

Industry Milestone: GE’s Heavy Duty Gas Turbines Surpass 2 Million Fired Hours on Low Carbon-Intensity Fuels

 

• Waste Fuels from Industrial Operations Like Steelmaking Produce Power with Zero Incremental CO₂ Emissions
• Power from Coal Gasification Enables Future Generations of Low Carbon Coal-Fired Plants
• GE Low-Carbon Technologies Demonstrate Maturity, Reliability and Affordability

ATLANTA, GA.—March 28, 2012—GE’s (NYSE: GE) fleet of 47 heavy duty gas turbines operating on low British thermal unit (BTU) fuels has accumulated more than 2 million fired hours, an operational milestone that underscores GE’s commitment to developing specialized solutions that meet the demands of today’s evolving energy industry.

Low BTU, or low calorific value fuels have significantly less heating values than natural gas. Examples include syngas, steel mill gases and dilute natural gas. These fuels are lighter than natural gas and have less energy per unit volume.

The fuel flexibility inherent in GE’s B, E and F-class turbines has allowed these units to operate on low BTU fuels in a variety of applications, including integrated gasification combined-cycle (IGCC), refinery-based IGCC and steel mills.

“In a carbon-constrained environment, the technology trend is for combustion systems capable of burning syngas and other nontraditional fuels while also delivering the required operability. In this context, the strong operational experience gained by GE gas turbines with a wide variety of fuels creates favorable prospects, both for robust E-class machines and for F-class machines that deliver high performance,” said Paul Browning, president and CEO—Thermal Products for GE Energy.

To achieve the same heat input as natural gas-fired units, low BTU fuels need increased fuel flow. This flow rate requires the fleet to use GE’s Multi Nozzle Quiet Combustion (MNQC) and standard (single nozzle) syngas combustors, which provide robust and reliable operation on low BTU fuels.

The hours accumulated by the fleet include projects totaling more than 4 gigawatts of installed power generation capacity at 21 plants. One million of those hours have been achieved on GE’s E-class turbines. Roughly 600,000 hours have been accumulated on GE’s B-class while the remaining 400,000 hours were amassed on the F-class. Some of the turbines have been running on syngas or other fuels for more than a decade including a large coal-based IGCC facility in Florida and an Italian refinery. Others are newer installations operating at locations in the United States, Germany, Italy, Canada, Netherlands, Czech Republic, China, Middle East,and Singapore.

A case in point is the Wuhan Iron & Steel Group Corp. (WISCO) steel mill near Wuhan City in Hubei Province, China. To comply with China’s goals to reduce energy consumption and emissions, WISCO installed a combined-cycle power plant—powered by two GE 9E Gas Turbines—at the Wuhan mill.

Reusing the mill’s own “blast furnace” and “coke oven” waste gases (BFG and COG) as “free” fuel, the two GE 109 combined-cycle systems each generate 164 megawatts of onsite power to support the mill’s activities. Currently, the power plant’s annual output is 1 billion kWh/a, with a guaranteed electrical efficiency greater than 42 percent (LHV).

The key benefits of this project for WISCO include a reduction in emissions associated with the waste gases created during the steel production process and new revenues generated by the sale of some of the power plant’s electricity to the local grid.

GE’s fleet of heavy duty gas turbines operating on low BTU fuels continues to grow, as customers look to do more with less.

GE Heavy Duty Gas Turbine Hours Fired on Low BTU fuels
Experience by frame:

• 1 million hours on GE E-class turbines.
• 600,000 hours on GE B-class turbines.
• 400,000 hours on GE F-class turbines.

Experience by application:

• 450,000 hours at coal-based IGCC facilities.
• 860,000 hours at refineries.
• 700,000 hours at steel mills.

Experience by region/country:

• 250,000 hours at facilities operating across Asia.
• 280,000 hours at facilities operating across North America.
• More than 1 million hours at facilities operating across 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.

GE Energy works connecting people and ideas everywhere to create advanced technologies for powering a cleaner, more productive world. With more than 100,000 employees in over 100 countries, our diverse portfolio of product and service solutions and deep industry expertise help our customers solve their challenges locally. We serve the energy sector with technologies in such areas as natural gas, oil, coal and nuclear energy; wind, solar, biogas and water processing; energy management; and grid modernization. We also offer integrated solutions to serve energy- and water-intensive industries such as mining, metals, marine, petrochemical, food & beverage and unconventional fuels.

Follow GE Energy on Twitter @GE_Energy.

GE’s New Line of French Door Refrigerators Offers Most Sophisticated Ice and Water Technology Available Today

20 March 2012

GE’s New Line of French Door Refrigerators Offers Most Sophisticated Ice and Water Technology Available Today

 

• From dispensing hot water to Hands-free Autofill, GE refrigerators make life more convenient at home
• Advanced technology keeps foods and beverages fresher longer
• The refrigerators will roll off the line in Louisville, Kentucky, creating hundreds of new jobs

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – March 20, 2012 – (NYSE:GE) – As technological competition in refrigeration heats up, GE has risen above the rest. Featuring the most advanced ice and water technology on the market today, the newGE French door refrigerators offer intelligent home technology that makes your world work better. Breaking new ground, the GE Profile™ model’sHands-free Autofill system eliminates the need to stand and wait, automatically filling any container with filtered water. In addition, the GE Café™ model is the first refrigerator to feature a hot water dispenser, capable of serving up tea and oatmeal in minutes. And in yet another industry breakthrough, the model’s easy-to-access advanced filtration system is the first to remove harmful pharmaceuticals from water and ice.

“Our commitment first and foremost is to simplify and streamline the consumer’s world, applying innovations in a way that makes home life easier,” said John Boyd, refrigeration marketing manager for GE Appliances. “There’s more to a refrigerator than just storing food and beverages and keeping them cold. The industry-first features in our new French door models provide convenience, efficiency and bring ease to the hectic lives of busy consumers.”

Industry’s most advanced ice and water system

• In an industry-first, the 29 cubic foot GE Profile model features a Hands-free Autofill system that fully fills a glass, water bottle, coffee pot or pitcher. The dispenser’s pull-out tray holds a container so you can press the button and walk away while it fills up automatically. The technology behind the feature uses sound waves from ultrasonic sensors and proximity detectors similar to those used to fill up fuel tanks in locomotives. The model also includes a PreciseFill™ feature that dispenses filtered water in accurate measurements for easy food and drink preparation.
• The 29 cubic foot GE Café model is the first refrigerator in the industry to feature a hot water dispenser, which can heat up to 12 ounces of water in two minutes – ideal for oatmeal, a cup of tea, or a bottle of baby formula. The hot water dispenser lets you accurately choose the perfect temperature or select one of the four pre-programmed settings to simplify hot food and drink preparation.
• As concern for water quality grows, all of the new GE French door refrigerators feature the most advanced water filtration system in the industry. The system has been tested and verified by an independent third party to remove 98 percent of five trace pharmaceuticals from drinking water and ice.¹ The GE Profile model filter is conveniently and newly located on the inside of the refrigerator door, allowing for quick and easy filter replacement.

Foods and beverages stay fresher, longerThe 29-cubic-foot Profile and Café models include a full-width, adjustabletemperature-controlled drawer with five settings for meat, beverage, produce, cheese and citrus and temperatures ranging from 32 to 40 degrees, The drawer is designed to keep specific foods and drinks at the proper storage temperature, but can also be set as the same temperature as the overall refrigerator. Colored LED lights in the drawer – red, green, blue, aqua and purple – can be set to remind you of the temperature setting you have chosen.

The French door refrigerators also feature TwinChill™ evaporators, which separate airflow and climates in the fresh food and freezer sections to help maintain temperature and humidity levels to keep foods fresh. The separation of the air limits the amount of humidity in the freezer, reducing freezer burn while keeping freezer odors from mixing with refrigerator odors.

Designed to make our world work betterConsistent with GE’s fundamental focus of making the consumer’s world work better, the new GE French door refrigerator models exceed ENERGY STAR ® standards. These new models are the first bottom-freezers in the U.S. to use cyclopentane foam, which reduces the greenhouse gas emissions during manufacturing and at the end of the product’s life cycle, ultimately making this line better for the environment.

Some GE French door refrigerator models will also feature GE’s Brillion™connected home technology. On this product, Brillion technology, when coupled with a GE Nucleus, enables a consumer to receive maintenance and service alerts, monitor energy consumption, and adjust some appliance settings remotely.

Additionally, showcase LED lighting produces lighter, crisper illumination throughout the refrigerator’s interior. And the line includes many extra storage features, such as a drop-down tray, three freezer baskets, a second icemaker in the freezer and a space-saving icemaker in the door.

GE’s new French door refrigerators will be available in 27 and 29 cubic feet models in GE and GE Profile brands, and a 29 cubic foot model will be available in the GE Café brand.

The GE Profile refrigerators will be available in June, and the GE Café models will be available in the fourth quarter of this year. The range of estimated retail prices is from $1,699 to $2,999.²

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter or check out our website for more information Friend GE Appliances on Facebook to view how-to videos; learn about new GE appliances, and join in the discussion with other GE appliance owners. Join today and follow @GE_Appliances on Twitter or just locate detailed information about our products at www.geappliances.com.

About GE AppliancesGE Appliances is at the forefront of building innovative, energy-efficient appliances that improve people’s lives. GE Appliances’ products include refrigerators, freezers, cooking products, dishwashers, washers, dryers, air conditioners, water filtration systems and water heaters. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information on GE Appliances, visit www.ge.com/appliances.

¹Removes ibuprofen, atenolol, fluoxetine, progesterone, and trimethoprim.Not all pharmaceuticals may be present in your water

²Retailers set their own prices.

News Release from GE

14 March 2012

GE Upgrade Project to Expand Output, Increase Efficiency at Progress Energy Plant

 

• Upgrade to Increase Site Output by 16 Megawatts
• Project to Deliver Combined Cycle Efficiency Improvement of 1 Percent

RALEIGH, N.C.—March 14, 2012—An advanced technology upgrade of two GE (NYSE: GE) gas turbines at a Progress Energy power plant in the Smith Energy Complex will help the site continue meeting growing energy demands through increased output, greater efficiency and lower emissions.

GE will upgrade two GE Frame 7FA Gas Turbines, which have been operating on natural gas since 2002, with compressor and combustion system enhancements as well as GE’s new Advanced Gas Path to improve the site’s output by 16 megawatts and fuel efficiency by more than 1 percent. GE expects the upgrades to extend the plant’s parts life and increase the time between scheduled outages. GE’s new Advanced Gas Path solution for the 7FA expands gas turbine output and heat rate performance through both material and design innovations.

More than 750 GE Frame 7FA Gas Turbines are in operation worldwide and have been proven in more than 25 million hours of service. The 7FA fleet accounts for 15 percent of North America’s installed electrical capacity.

“This project has been a close collaboration between Progress Energy and GE to identify a solution that will deliver higher levels of performance to the Richmond County site without sacrificing operational flexibility or reliability,” said James A. Kaveney, general manager of GE Energy’s Power Generation Services Americas group.

The site’s upgrade package also includes dry low NO_x (DLN) combustion technology designed to lower emissions while saving water. GE DLN combustors are equipped on more than 650 7FA Gas Turbines with more than 20 million fired hours.

GE also will install an Enhanced Transient Stability application at the Smith Energy Complex. This advanced controls solution will help protect the plant against grid instability. By minimizing the effect of grid transients, the power plant can see higher up time and provide critical power during this time period. This controls based solution can be installed during a typical hot gas path or major inspection.

The enhancement project is scheduled to be completed by October 2012.

Progress Energy (NYSE: PGN), a Fortune 500 energy company based in Raleigh, is implementing a coal-to-natural gas fleet modernization plan aimed at reducing emissions and fuel costs while providing reliable, affordable electric service to 1.5 million Carolina households and businesses. 

Post from Dept. of Energy Blog

Veolia and Johnson Controls Get the Job Done with Clean, Fuel Efficient Fleets

March 9, 2012 

With their presence in almost every neighborhood and community, refuse trucks, like the one shown above, can benefit from alternative fuels and advanced technology. | Photo courtesy of Veolia Environmental Services.

What are the key facts?

• Veolia operates four compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations and more than 100 CNG vehicles.
• Johnson Controls operates more than 500 hybrids, together saving $500,000 in fuel costs.

With a total of 18 members that run more than a million vehicles across the country, the National Clean Fleets Partnership addresses a wide variety of transportation needs.  The program, part of the Vehicle Technologies Program’s Clean Cities initiative, works to help partners reduce their vehicle fleet’s petroleum use, whether they use telecommunications repair vans or soda delivery trucks.  With Secretary Chu’s announcement on Monday of the Partnership’s expansion, this is the second of two posts highlighting our four new members.

Veolia Environmental Services

With their presence in almost every neighborhood and community, refuse trucks can benefit from alternative fuels and advanced technology, which this National Partner knows well.  The Solid Waste division of Veolia Environmental Services maintains a fleet of more than 3,000 trucks, heavy equipment, and support vehicles that service both households and businesses. The company is dedicated to reducing petroleum use and emissions through route optimization, alternative fuels, and hybrid vehicles. As of 2012, the company operates four compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations and more than 100 CNG refuse-collection and support vehicles. Veolia joined the partnership in December 2011.

Johnson Controls, Inc. 

As a leading supplier of battery systems for hybrid electric vehicles, Johnson Controls is committed to designing and delivering increasingly sustainable products, services and solutions that will help its customers improve their energy efficiency, reduce their carbon footprint, and achieve their environmental goals. Leading by example, Johnson Controls has implemented several greenhouse gas reduction strategies in its global fleet of 19,000 vehicles. It first introduced hybrid electric vehicles into its fleet in 2009. Today, it operates more than 500 hybrids, each reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30%, and together saving $500,000 in fuel costs during the first two-and-a-half years of operation. In 2011, it deployed 20 all-electric vans, which are estimated to achieve a 61% GHG reduction per vehicle. Other strategies include the use of CNG vans, and higher MPG vans and trucks. In 2012, Johnson Controls will pilot the use of telematics —allowing them to better collect and share geographic and other data with drivers—and continue with the deployment of additional alternative fuel vehicles, including propane-fueled units. Johnson Controls joined the partnership in February 2012.

News Release from Illinois EPA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 23, 2012

Illinois EPA Designates 15 Chicago Area “Green Fleets”

Oak Park—The Illinois EPA, in coordination with the Chicago Area Clean Cities coalition, designated 15 new Chicago area Green Fleets at an event held today in Oak Park.  The Illinois Green Fleets program provides for “Green Environment, Green Energy, & Green Economics for a Green Illinois,” through the use of clean alternate fuels, such as natural gas, biodiesel, ethanol, propane and electricity in their fleet vehicles, as well as retrofiting existing diesel trucks with clean technology options to reduce diesel particulates. Information regarding the program can be found at http://www.illinoisgreenfleets.org/.  “These are family-owned and larger businesses, as well as public bodies, that have seen the value in supporting clean air, energy independence, jobs and providing insurance against the concern about high prices for gasoline and diesel,” said Interim Illinois EPA Director John Kim. “These new Green Fleets join an elite fraternity of over 100 designated fleets throughout the state. We see more and more family-owned small businesses that are taking the initiative to purchase and convert their vehicles and equipment to run on a clean American fuel,” said Darwin Burkhart, program manager for the Illinois EPA and Chairman of Chicago Area Clean Cities. The 15 new Illinois Green Fleets are: Abt Electronics, a family-owned electronics and appliance store based in Glenview, uses biodiesel in its diesel truck fleet and has 30 vans that use E85 ethanol fuel and two vans that run on natural gas. In addition, the Abt family installed diesel oxidation catalysts on eight diesel delivery trucks to further reduce particulate emissions. Groot Industries, a family operated waste hauler based in Elk Grove Village, has 33 refuse trucks that run on natural gas and has installed two natural gas refueling stations to share with other fleets. Other waste companies being recognized are Waste Management in Wheeling and Veolia ES Solid Waste in Northbrook with 33 and 20 natural gas refuse trucks, respectively. Competitive Lawn Service, a small commercial lawn business in Downers Grove, is the first lawn and landscaping business in the country to convert many of its pickup trucks and mower equipment to propane.  Doreen’s Pizzeria, a family-owned business in Calumet City, has seven natural gas-powered delivery trucks that display “Green Pizza Machines” on the sides of the vehicles. Ozinga Ready Mix, a family-owned business in Mokena, is believed to be the first concrete company in the country to convert 14 of its mixing trucks to run on natural gas. SCR Medical Transportation, a family run paratransit service in the Chicago area, operates 20 natural gas vans and shuttles for people needing mobility assistance. In addition, GO Airport Express operates two propane and two natural gas-powered shuttle vans and Yellow Cab Chicago has 79 natural gas taxis; both companies operate from O’Hare and Midway airports. Other Green Fleets that are being acknowledged at the event are Northern Illinois University in DeKalb that uses E85, biodiesel, natural gas, and hybrid vehicles in many of its trucks, buses, campus police cars, and other campus vehicles and equipment; Chicago Park District that has E85, biodiesel, natural gas, hybrids and electric vehicles; Dillon Transport of Burr Ridge that uses E85 in the company’s flex fuel vehicles; Foodliner of Franklin Park that operates six Freightliner trucks on natural gas; and the DuPage County Division of Transportation that has nearly half its fleet running on E85, biodiesel, natural gas and electricity.    ###

News Release from GE - Landfill Gas

23 February 2012

GE Gas Engine Technology to Power China’s Largest Landfill Gas Project

 

• GE’s Jenbacher Gas Engines to Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions by More than 340,000 Tons per Year and Greenhouse Gas by Nearly 19 Million Cubic Meters Each Year
• Project Supports Chinese Government’s 12^th Five-Year Plan to Invest More than RMB260 Billion in the Waste Treatment Industry by 2015
• GE Cements Leadership Position in China with Latest Alternative Power-to-Energy Project

SHANGHAI, CHINA—February 23, 2012

GE (NYSE: GE) today announced that its ecomagination-qualified Jenbacher gas engines will power China’s largest landfill gas (LFG) power generation project. The Laogang LFG project is owned by Laogang Renewable Energy Co., a joint venture formed by Veolia and Shanghai Environment Group, and supports the Chinese government’s 12th Five-Year Plan, during which China plans to invest more than RMB$260 billion in the waste treatment industry including waste-to-energy initiatives by 2015[1].

“Traditionally, landfill methane as a potent greenhouse gas has been released directly into the air,” said Chen Hongzhang, general manager, Laogang Renewable Energy Co. “By using GE’s gas engines fueled by LFG, we expect to save emissions by over 340,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, significantly improving the local environment in Shanghai.”

Seven of GE’s ecomagination-qualified Jenbacher J420 gas engines, which will provide about 10 megawatts of electricity, will power the new Laogang LFG facility located in Shanghai. Each J420 engine combusts 2.7 million cubic meters (m³) of methane each year, providing an overall yearly reduction of greenhouse gas of around 18.9 million m³ for the seven gas engines. The Renewable Energy Company will sell any excess electricity generated to the grid. This project is an example of how GE’s portfolio of innovative distributed power solutions, ranging from 100 kilowatts (kW) to 100 megawatts (MW), gives businesses and communities around the world the ability to generate reliable and efficient power anywhere, whether on or off the grid.

GE’s Jenbacher landfill gas engines use the gas—consisting of methane, carbon dioxide (CO₂) and nitrogen—created during the decomposition of organic substances in a landfill. Methane has a global warming factor 21 times greater than carbon dioxide, the most widely recognized greenhouse gas affecting climate change. With a calorific value of approximately 5 kWh/Nm³, landfill gas constitutes a high-value fuel for gas engines that can be effectively used for energy generation. One of GE’s Jenbacher J420 gas engines running on landfill gas can generate 1.4 MW electricity while saving the emissions of more than 49,000 metric tons of CO₂-equivalent per year through methane destruction and displaced grid electricity production; this is equivalent to the annual CO₂ emissions of more than 9,500 passenger cars on U.S. roads.

“This important project underscores our commitment to providing alternative energy solutions to help China meet its energy goals and cements our position as a leader in this segment,” said Rafael Santana, president and CEO—Gas Engines for GE Energy. “Our Jenbacher gas engines combine high efficiency and reliability with fuel flexibility to meet our customers’ needs with positive environmental impact. The seven Jenbacher J420 gas engines running on landfill gas are designed to generate almost 80 megawatt hours of electricity per year, which could power more than 46,000 Chinese households per year[2].”

The gas engines are scheduled to begin shipping in the second quarter of 2012 with commercial operation expected in December 2012.

This project is the latest in GE’s landfill gas solutions using Jenbacher gas engines. On October 31, 2011, GE announced that it had supplied a fourth J420 Jenbacher gas engine to Asja Brasil’s new 4.3-megawatt Belo Horizonte landfill-gas-to-energy (LFGTE) project in Brazil, helping to meet the country’s goals to increase the production of renewable and alternative energy.

On October 11, 2011, GE announced that it joined government officials and utility representatives at the Golden Triangle Regional Landfill in northeastern Mississippi in the United States to mark the commercial start up of the state’s first LFGTE project that will support the regional grid. Owned by the Golden Triangle Regional Solid Waste Management Authority (GTRSWMA), the LFGTE facility uses an ecomagination-qualified, GE J320 Jenbacher landfill gas engine to generate nearly 1 MW of renewable power sold through Tennessee Valley Authority’s renewable power initiative—enough to support about 700 average U.S. homes.

GE’s alternative gas-to-power portfolio includes its Jenbacher andWaukesha gas engines, which are specifically designed to provide the fuel flexibility needed to accommodate the use of alternative fuels such as landfill gas while offering high levels of electrical efficiency. GE’s Jenbacher landfill gas engines are part of the ecomagination portfolio for successfully demonstrating that converting landfill gas to electricity demonstrates both improved value and environmental performance. Ecomagination is GE’s commitment to invest in a future that creates innovative solutions to global environmental challenges.

News Release from EPA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFebruary 22, 2012 

Energy Star Leaders Achieve President Obama’s Energy Efficiency Goal for Buildings 

EPA’s Energy Star provides model for superior building energy performance and savings 

WASHINGTON –The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that nearly half of the organizations recognized as Energy Star Leaders have improved the energy efficiency of their building portfolios by 20 percent or more. Last year, President Obama announced a nationwide call to action to improve the energy performance in buildings across the nation by 20 percent by 2020. EPA’s Energy Star program has helped these 90 leading organizations achieve the President’s goal by providing them with a proven energy management strategy, which includes a focus on ongoing performance measurement and whole-building improvement. Energy Star Leaders have cumulatively saved more than $150 million on utility bills and prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to the electricity use of nearly 95,000 homes.

“Making our buildings more energy efficient is one of the most effective ways for American businesses, government and other organizations to save money and reduce the pollution going into the air we breathe,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “With help from EPA’s Energy Star program, these leaders are benefitting their bottom lines while protecting our health and the environment.”

Energy Star Leaders must meet one of two energy efficiency improvement milestones. The first milestone requires a 10 percent improvement in energy performance across their entire building portfolio, and subsequent recognition is given for each 10 percent improvement thereafter. The second milestone, known as “top performer,” requires the buildings in an organization’s portfolio, to perform on average in the top 25 percent of similar buildings nationwide. To be eligible for Energy Star Leaders recognition, organizations are required to track and submit energy performance data for all buildings and fuel sources through EPA’s Energy Star Portfolio Manager tool.

In the past year, EPA also recognized Decatur County Community Schools in Indiana as the first Energy Star Leader to improve energy efficiency across their building portfolio by 60 percent. The complete list of Energy Star Leaders has grown to more than 200 organizations, including school districts, national retailers, commercial real estate companies, healthcare systems, supermarket operators and hotel managers that have achieved energy efficiency improvements across more than 11,400 buildings covering nearly 730 million square feet in the United States.

With help from EPA’s Energy Star program, thousands of businesses and organizations are improving the energy efficiency of the places where we work, play and learn and are saving billions of dollars while preventing millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere each year. 

Countries Consider Retaliation for Europe's Airline Emissions Fee

Excerpt from an article in The New York Times
Saturday, February 18, 2012

Countries Consider Retaliation for Europe’s Airline Emissions Fee 

By JAMES KANTER and NICOLA CLARK

BRUSSELS — China, the United States and two dozen other countries are looking at coordinated retaliation — including putting pressure on European airlines and other industries — if Europe tries to enforce a law requiring airlines to pay for their greenhouse gas emissions.

The system, the European Union’s boldest initiative on climate protection to date, has provoked a worldwide outcry and raised the unwelcome prospect of a full-scale trade war. European officials have stood firm while challenging opponents to suggest an equally effective alternative.

The European system requires an airline landing or taking off in Europe to acquire permits corresponding to the amount of greenhouse gases emitted during the entire flight — regardless of where it originated or ended or the nationality of the airline. The system went into effect this year, although the first payments will not be due until 2013.

Other governments have objected to Europe’s attempt to regulate emissions outside its airspace, while carriers like American Airlines and China Southern are furious because they could face big bills as the number of permits that they need to purchase rises.

In the latest of a series of meetings on the issue, officials from 26 governments will gather in Moscow on Tuesday to discuss a “basket of countermeasures” to block the European system, according to the draft agenda.

Those countermeasures include following China’s lead in banning its airlines from paying the charges unless and until the Chinese government grants permission; imposing punitive levies on European airlines when they fly over other countries’ airspace; reviewing bilateral and “open skies” agreements on landing rights, market access and other matters and freezing consideration of any new routes or capacity, according to a draft discussion paper.

In addition, the paper calls on governments to consider reopening trade agreements in sectors other than aviation and to freeze trade negotiations as a way of “putting pressure on E.U. industries.”

Quebec's First Waste-to-Biofuels Facility

News release from Enerkem:


Enerkem and GreenField Ethanol Announce Quebec's First Waste-to-Biofuels Production Facility

VARENNES, Québec, February 6, 2012 – At a news conference in Varennes today, the
Government of Québec announced its plan to inject $27 million in Québec’s first
full-scale commercial cellulosic ethanol plant through the Ministry of Natural Resources
and Wildlife and Investissement Québec.  This facility will be built and operated by a
joint venture partnership formed by Enerkem (www.enerkem.com), a waste-to-biofuels
and chemicals company, and GreenField Ethanol (www.greenfieldethanol.com), the
Canadian leader in alcohol production.

The future plant will be located in Varennes, Québec and will use Enerkem’s proprietary
technology to convert non-recyclable municipal solid waste into biofuels.  With a
full-scale waste-to-biofuels facility under construction in Edmonton, Alberta, and another
one under development in Mississippi, the Varennes facility represents Enerkem’s third
full-scale commercial project.

"By producing liquid transportation fuel from non-recyclable waste, this facility opens the
door to the emergence of a new energy sector and will allow for local sustainable
management of our waste materials", declared Vincent Chornet, Enerkem President
and CEO. "Located on the site of Ethanol GreenField's current plant, this project will
represent one of the first integrations between an existing, first generation ethanol plant
and a new cellulosic ethanol plant."

"The construction of this innovative plant on our current site marks the beginning of our
transition to an integrated biorefinery in Varennes", said Jean Roberge, General
Manager, GreenField Ethanol Québec.  "We are pleased to partner with Enerkem and
integrate their technology to build Québec’s first full-scale commercial cellulosic ethanol
plant.  The use of waste materials, that is made possible with Enerkem's technology,
complements GreenField Ethanol R&D efforts with other types of biomass. "This waste-to-biofuels production facility will help reduce greenhouse emissions, fossil
fuel imports and landfilled volumes.  The non-recyclable waste will come from
institutional, commercial and industrial sectors, and from construction and demolition
debris. The anticipated annual production capacity of this plant is approximately
38 million litres.

"In addition to presenting a solution to landfilling, today's announcement will enable
greenhouse gas emission reductions by about 110,000 metric tons of CO2 per year.
Cellulosic ethanol is a renewable fuel that will contribute to reducing our dependence on
petroleum products. By supporting this project, our government is concretely reinforcing
energy security for Québec. Today's announcement puts Québec in an advantageous
position in the search for alternatives to fossil fuel consumption", outlined Minister
Clément Gignac.

"Québec has resolved to reduce, by 2020, its greenhouse gas emissions to 20% below
1990 levels, as part of its 2006-2012 Climate Change Action Plan. We believe we can
be productive and create wealth and jobs, all while protecting our environment. The
construction of the cellulosic ethanol facility belonging to the joint venture formed by
Enerkem and GreenField Ethanol, is one step closer towards reducing our greenhouse
gas emissions. It is with solid and structured projects, such as the one presented today,
that Québec will reassert its leadership in a green and sustainable economy",
commented Minister Sam Hamad.

The $27 million contribution from the Government of Québec includes $18 million in
financial assistance from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife and a $9 million
loan from Investissement Québec.

The Rise of Landfill Gas to Energy

The following is an excerpt of an article with the above title in the January 2012 issue of Waste Age magazine:

Landfill gas (LFG) provides power for one million homes and heat for 737,000 homes across the country.  It provides 14 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and 102 billion cu. ft of LFG for direct use by industry.  It contributes to the nation’s supply of natural gas and clean-burning fuel for vehicles.

The environmental benefits of these LFG uses are huge.  According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the use of LFG reduced the consumption of oil in the United States by about 229 million barrels of oil last year.

Using LFG also reduces greenhouse gas emissions.  EPA says that landfills rank as the third-largest human-generated source of methane emissions in the United States.  Among greenhouse gases, methane, the fuel component of LFG, is one of the most potent.  For instance, it is 21 times stronger than carbon dioxide.

The EPA also estimates that a typical LFG energy project collects and uses 60 to 90 percent of the methane emitted by a landfill.

Thanks to the environmental benefits of putting LFG to use, landfill-gas-to-energy has begun to emerge as a renewable energy industry.

Consider the landfill-gas-to-energy (LFGTE) project at the Newton County Landfill in Brook, Ind., for example.  There, LFG is helping to manufacture egg cartons.

One of the largest landfills in the country, Newton County, owned by Phoenix-based Republic Services, Inc., receives nearly 2.7 million tons of trash per year.  Recently, the landfill began sending LFG to the neighboring Newton County Renewable Energy Park through a 2,500-foot pipeline.

At the industrial park, Canadian firm Urban Forestf Recyclers Inc. (UFR) of Swift Current, Sask., manufactures packaging, such as egg cartons, from recycled fiber.  The process blends mixed newsprint and cardboard into a slurry that is poured into molds.  The LFG fuels the system of blowers used to dry the molds.

Airlines Emissions System May Be Adjusted in Europe

Excerpt from an article in The New York Times
Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Airline Emissions System May Be Adjusted in Europe 

By JAMES KANTER

BRUSSELS — The European Union could suspend parts of a new law requiring airlines to account for their greenhouse gas emissions if countries were to make clear progress this year toward establishing a global emissions control system, a senior official said Tuesday.

The comments, by Jos Delbeke, the director general for climate action at the European Commission, came the day after China announced that its carriers would be forbidden to pay any charges under the European emissions system without Beijing’s permission.

The comments were the clearest sign yet that Europeans were considering how to defuse a mounting conflict over the new emissions law with its most important trading partners.

The law, which went into effect Jan. 1, requires airlines to account for all emissions on flights using European airports. Its goal is to speed up the adoption of greener technologies at a time when air traffic, which represents about 3 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, is growing much faster than gains in efficiency.

But Europe’s bold climate initiative also could push nations heavily reliant on air travel into a trade war because of the effect of the new law on flights outside of European airspace.

Mr. Delbeke said at a conference in Brussels that he could recommend “a conditional suspension” of parts of the system, in which polluters can buy and sell a limited quantity of permits, each representing a ton of carbon dioxide, by the end of the year if nations sped up adoption of an effective global system.

For that to happen, any global system would have (to) be better for climate protection than simply applying the European system that is already in force, Mr. Delbeke said. A global system also would have to treat all airlines similarly and to set emissions reduction targets for a near-term date like 2020 rather than midcentury.

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China Balking at EU Airline Emissions Charges

Excerpt from an article in The New York Times

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

E.U. Rebuffs China's Challenge to Airline Emission System

By JAMES KANTER

BRUSSELS — The European Commission said Monday that it would continue charging airlines for their greenhouse gas emissions, despite an announcement from China that its carriers would be forbidden to pay without its permission.

The E.U. program, which began Jan. 1, requires airlines to account for all emissions on flights using European airports and represents the Union’s boldest move to protect the environment.

“We’re not backing down in our legislation,” said Isaac Valero-Ladrón, a spokesman for the commission, the executive body of the European Union. “We’ll apply this to companies operating in Europe.”

Europe says its system is less costly than portrayed and would speed up the adoption of greener technologies at a time when air traffic, which represents about 3 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, is growing much faster than gains in efficiency.

Earlier Monday, the Chinese air regulator effectively prohibited the country’s carriers from paying those charges or other fees, or increasing ticket prices in response to the E.U. system, without permission from the government.

The Chinese government said it was also considering unspecified measures to protect Chinese companies, something Europe can ill afford as it looks to China to help ease its debt crisis. European countries also want access to China’s fast-growing economy, including free-spending Chinese tourists who might not show up.

The intensifying dispute is another sign that European environmental regulations could lead to a trade war if governments start retaliating against carriers or products.

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AEP Increases Natural Gas-Fired Generation Capacity

Following is another news release indicating increased use of natural gas.  As explained previously, natural gas is not a renewable energy source; however, because it produces the least greenhouse gases (GHGs) of the fossil fuels, it is worth paying attention to.  This news release is from an electric utility, American Electric Power.

AEP Increases Natural Gas-Fired Generation Capacity As Newly Constructed Dresden Plant Goes On Line

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 1, 2012 – American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) has begun commercial operation of the Dresden natural gas-fired power plant, a nominal 580-megawatt combined-cycle generating unit. The plant, located near Dresden, Ohio, provides 25 permanent jobs and employed more than 800 workers at the peak of construction.

With the start-up of the Dresden plant, AEP has added more than 4,800 megawatts of natural gas-fired capacity to its generating fleet in the past decade. Natural gas accounts for 24 percent of AEP’s total generating capacity.

 “This is another step in the transformation of AEP’s generating fleet as we continue to diversify our fuel mix to improve our environmental footprint and provide economical electricity for our customers,” said Nicholas K. Akins, AEP’s president and chief executive officer. “Natural gas will become an increasing part of AEP’s generating portfolio in the coming decades as a result of the development of shale gas reserves and new environmental regulations, but we continue to believe our company and our nation need a diverse electricity generating portfolio that also includes investment in cleaner coal technologies, nuclear and renewable power.”

AEP purchased the partially constructed Dresden plant in 2007 for approximately $85 million from Dresden Energy LLC, a subsidiary of Dominion. AEP accelerated construction of Dresden in January 2011. Total costs for the plant were approximately $366 million.

The Dresden plant will supply electricity to AEP’s Appalachian Power customers in West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee.

WM Named EPA LMOP Industry Partner of the Year

Sometimes propaganda can have informational value.  News release from Waste Management:


Waste Management Named EPA Landfill Methane Outreach Program Industry Partner of the Year

North America's largest landfill gas-to-energy owner and operator recognized for leadership in waste-based renewable energy development



Houston — January 18, 2012 — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) has named Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE: WM) its 2011 Industry Partner of the Year for leadership in developing waste-based renewable energy. Waste Management is the largest landfill gas-to-energy (LFGTE) developer and operator in North America and is continuing to expand its roster of energy facilities. This year’s awards were presented earlier today at the 15^th Annual LMOP Partner and Project of the Year Awards Ceremony in Baltimore, MD.

To view a short video explaining how landfills can power homes, college campuses and more, visit the WM video- Landfill Power: Turning Gas into Energy.

In 2011, WM commissioned nine LFGTE facilities with a collective capacity of 29.5 MW, bringing the number of LFGTE facilities to 133 active projects in North America. In total, these facilities produced the equivalent of 617 MW of power – enough to power 473,000 homes, and offset the consumption of over 2.4 million tons of coal. Waste Management plans to commission four additional projects in the first quarter of 2012 and is working on at least eight additional projects through its dedicated in-house project development team, which works on both WM-owned sites and those owned by municipalities and industry partners.

“It is an honor to be recognized as a leading partner in this sector by the EPA, and a testament to the hard work of our team over the last several years,” said Paul Pabor, vice president of renewable energy at Waste Management. “Waste Management developed much of the technology still in use today, and continues to find new ways to capture resources in waste. We’re looking forward to continued innovation, creating electricity, generating renewable fuels and powering local businesses with the resources at our disposal.”

Waste Management was active in two projects that won 2010 Project of the Year. The first, the University of New Hampshire EcoLine^TM project, brought gas from Waste Management’s Turnkey Landfill through a 12-mile pipe, supplying 85 percent of the campus’s heat and electricity needs. The second, at the Altamont Landfill Resource and Recovery Facility in Livermore, CA, consisted of a partnership with Linde North America. There, the companies produce up to 13,000 gallons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from landfill gas every day to fuel hundreds of WM fleet vehicles. The Altamont project is the largest landfill gas-to-LNG project in the world.                                                   

Landfill gas, generated by the natural breakdown of organic materials in a landfill, contains large amounts of methane that can be collected to generate electricity, power local businesses or be turned into transportation fuel. A successful program can turn a modern landfill from a mere disposal site to a source of clean, renewable energy to power homes and fuel vehicles.

Waste Management is continually exploring new technologies and services to generate renewable energy from waste. LFGTE complements the company’s other waste services in the areas of recycling, landfill operations and waste-based energy technology. LFGTE projects also contribute to one of Waste Management’s sustainability goals, doubling energy generation by 2020 to power the equivalent of 2 million homes.

EPA’s LMOP has assisted with more than 500 LFG energy projects over the past 16 years. The United States currently has about 575 operational LFG energy projects which annually supply more than 14 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and ~102 billion cubic feet of LFG to direct-use applications. There is still significant potential for expansion of the technology; LMOP has identified over 500 landfills that could provide an additional 1,155 MW of electrical power.