General Electric is using cyclopentane as a foam blowing agent for insulation in refrigerators and freezers.  Using cyclopentane in place of HFC such as HFC-134a or HFC-245fa (typically used by US refrigerator manufacturers) significantly reduces the CO2 footprint from foam blowing.

GE is using cyclopentane at two major facilities – Appliance Park, KY and Decatur, GA.  - to lower toe CO2 footprint associated with prior HFC foam blowing agents.

At Appliance Park – “ … reduce average annual CO2 emissions … by more than 99 percent, or 117,781 metric tons of CO2  annually …”

At Decatur GA – “ .. reducing …  by 400,000 metric tons of CO2 … a 99-percent reduction in GHG emissions ..”

This is equivalent to the “ … of 101,185 car” and the amount of CO2 “ … absorbed by 132,093 acres of Southeastern U.S. forest”.

Via:  General Electric  LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 07:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Arista designs and makes renewable energy systems and has partnered with GE to use their Durathon™Battery for their “Power on Demand” offering.

Power on Demand system uses renewable energy (wind, solar, …) and storage devices to keep that energy available for peak use.  Power on Demand can reduce energy costs by smoothing the demand for grid power and using stored power at peak times when energy charges are highest.

"“ … a custom-designed battery storage system and proprietary real-time demand monitoring technology. … releasing stored power only during peak demand periods, thereby reducing peak demand charges, … and lowering commercial electricity costs.”

GE’s Durathon Batteries are both smaller and lighter than traditional batteries, can last up to 20 years and are recyclable.

For more info on GE’s Durathon Batteries see geenergystorage.com.

Via:  Arista  LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 08:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

GE is working to enable the intelligent home energy network using smart sensors deployed throughout the house.  The objective is to provide feedback to consumers on their electricity consumption and create a positive reinforcement loop for their personal energy-efficiency efforts.  ..

…   “Whole-Home Sensor: The new Whole-Home Sensor, an integral part of home-energy solutions, is being used in several utility test pilots, including test homes in Warner Robins, Ga., as part of Flint Energies' recently announced pilot project.

It will be available broadly in the second quarter of this year.  The sensor sends consumption data from large 240-volt applications, such as a panel box or pool pump, to the home's Nucleus energy manager, which then communicates that data to a consumer's existing smartphones or personal computers -- helping them make smarter energy choices. 

Knowledge of whole-home energy consumption provides consumers with insights into their electricity costs before the bill arrives;”   …

Via GE: Release.

Flint Energies Pilot Project: Ten volunteer households in Warner Robins, Georgia, will receive GE’s full suite of Brillion-enabled appliances, a programmable thermostat and Nucleus energy manager, as well as GE’s new Whole-Home Sensor, which enables consumers to receive real-time energy data without a smart meter.

These smart grid-enabled solutions are equipped with intelligent features to reduce energy consumption – or electrical load – based on peak-time rebate signals from the utility.

Posted by Green Tech at 02:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

GE scales its portfolio of solar project investments, doubling its financial commitment from the start of 2011 as costs have become more compelling.  …

…   “Solar farms have become an attractive investment because innovation and technology efficiency have lowered costs and allowed operators build large-scale projects.”   …

Via GE: Solar Bulls.

Posted by Green Tech at 08:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

GE recently received federal funding (from US-DOE) to find more cost effective ways to bring solar to homes.

One part of solar PV (photovoltaic) system that they are looking to improve is the inverters that convert DC to AC. Current inverters have drawbacks including “… higher cost, less than ideal efficiency.  Research will focus on integrated inverters that are lower in cost and more efficient to help get the cost closer to retail electric prices. 

Another opportunity is to reduce the weight of systems.  Systems today are 2 – 3 lbs / sq-ft with external (to the panels) wiring.   GE is looking to develop systems in then range of 1 lb / sq-ft. with connected wiring.  These could unfold at the installation site and be ready to install – without the need for heavy racking systems.

Via:  GE Global Research LINK

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Many communities recycle glass, aluminum and paper … maybe even some plastics.

What about old appliances ?  In addition to containing easy to recycle metals some appliance also contain harmful refrigerants.  9 million (+ / –) refrigerators are thrown out each year in the U.S. and most are shredded to reclaim the metal … the foam and other materials go to a landfill and may release GHG to the atmosphere.

GE and Home Depot have a different approach that keeps an additional 47 lbs of a typical refrigerator out of landfills (resulting in 102 lbs not sent to landfill per refrigerator).

With Responsible Appliance Disposal a refrigerator’s refrigerant is safely removed and recycled / processed.  Then any GHG from foam insulation is safely processed and the remaining material is separated for recycling.

“ … Refrigerants and recoverable components are removed … will reduce the weight of typical refrigerator landfill waste by approximately 85%.”

“ … Approximately 95% of the insulating foam is recovered, compressed and can be used as fuel”.

Many Home Depot locations  will take the appliances for recycling.  For locations see links below …

Connecticut     Delaware     District of Columbia     Maryland      Massachusetts    
New Jersey     New York     North Carolina     Pennsylvania     Rhode Island    
Vermont     Virginia     West Virginia

Via:  GE  LINK

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GE’s recently announced Platinum LEED data center in Kentucky is a rare breed.  It is GE’s first Platinum LEED data center and one of just a few in the world.

• Materials were over 50% locally sourced, approx. 30 % had recycled content and 80 plus % of construction waste was recycled and not landfilled.

Approx. 6% of LEED facilities in the world meet Platinum certification.

Here are some key highlights:

“ … reducing water consumption inside the building by 42 percent …”

“ … offset 35 percent of the data center’s predicted annual energy consumption through the purchase of off-site renewable energy … “

“… Outside … reducing water consumption by 100 …”

Via:  GE LINK

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GE charging station can be installed in the garage and quickly charge your electric vehicle to be ready for the next day’s commute.  The NEMA rating enables the device to be installed outdoors, if your situation requires.  …

…   “The GE WattStation Wall Mount delivers a full-cycle charge to a 24kWh battery in only 4-8 hours, whereas plugging an EV into a standard electrical outlet would require 12-18 hours to provide the same level of charge. 

Suitable for both indoor and outdoor installations, the GE WattStation Wall Mount is NEMA 3R rated to resist rain, sleet and even ice.

The unit measures only 24 inches tall, 16 inches wide and 6 inches deep.”   …

GE WattStation.

Press release for the WattStation.

Posted by Green Tech at 10:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

GE and Lowes are partnering to offer customers GE’s wall mounted EV car chargers.

GE’s WattStation “ … will help transform the future of personal transportation, making an electric vehicle easily adaptable for everyday use.”"

The GE WattStation will be offered in California in August 2011 starting with 5 stores and expanding to 60 by September and also available by web in September @ LOWES.com.

Via:  GE  LINK

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Sao Paolo, Brazil is benefiting from the integration of GE smart meters with Trilliant’s wireless communication network to AES Eletropaulo’s data center where monitoring can be turned into smart decisions on energy management.  …

…   “With time-of-use rates and smart meters in place, consumers can monitor and manage their energy use and costs.

In addition, utilities can incentivize customers to be more efficient and perform power-intensive activities during off-peak hours, reducing the need for Brazil to build costly new power generation plants, optimizing its smart grid technology investment and positively impacting the environment.”   …

GE smart meters.

Trilliant wireless mesh network.

AES Eletropaulo.

Posted by Green Tech at 03:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Stanford’s Global Climate and Energy Project brings together a partnership of academia and industry with funding from ExxonMobil, GE, Schlumberger and Toyota to explore fundamental research into green technologies that will have a direct impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Stanford professors are exploring material science enablers for more efficient and effective organic photocells.  …

…   “designing a new family of advanced electron-accepting materials to be used in organic photovoltaic cells.

Their research could lead to cells with longer lifetimes, greater efficiencies and lower costs, making organic photovoltaic cells a more viable option to harvest solar energy.”   …

Via Stanford University: Energy Projects.

Organic photovoltaic research.

Stanford Univ Global Climate and Energy programs.

Posted by Green Tech at 01:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

General Electric's new FlexEfficiency power plants are designed to work well with renewable power sources.

Renewable renewable energy generation can be intermittent as it is dependent on wind or sun and can require augmentation quickly.  The FlexEfficiency makes use of technology that let's it run at rates as low as 87% and still be 61 % efficient. 

The technology includes simplified design, construction and waste heat recovery.

The plant is fast starting, highly automated, highly efficient and a range of loads and low in emissions

" ... uses an integrated approach to reduce fuel costs, create additional revenue sources, improve dispatch capability and reduce carbon emissions compared to prior technologies."

See the video at LINK that provides more information.

Via:  General Electric LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 05:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

GE Capital looks to boost the awareness of alternative vehicles for use in company fleets.  …

…   “The Fleet Manager Guide offers steps on developing a plan to reduce a fleet’s fuel consumption and carbon emissions, while the Eco Monitor is a quarterly update on current environmental topics and trends.

Fleet managers can stay informed about new and upcoming electric vehicles with features and launch dates through the website’s Electric Vehicle Summary.”   …

Via Yahoo: GE Capital Fleet Services.

Posted by Green Tech at 11:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

by GE to support implementation of taller towers.  The tower technology has been optimized for more efficient installation and transportation.  …

…   “The space frame tower technology is a highly engineered and optimized structure that will handle the unique static and dynamic loads generated by wind turbines.

WTS also has been developing innovative ways to transport and install these taller wind turbine towers.

The space frame technology will use standard flatbed trucks.

Hi Jack system technology can eliminate the need for heavy lift cranes during installation.

These new technologies offer the ability to cost effectively extend the tower height, which in turn enables the turbine to produce more energy.”   …

Via GE: Wind Turbine Tower Technology.

Posted by Green Tech at 12:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

in collaboration with the EPA under the Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) Program.  Now, the insulating materials will be recycled in addition to the metal.  The Appliance Recycling Centers of America process will be deployed to recycle the foam insulation and reduce landfill disposal.  …

…   “The URT system includes the capability to automatically capture the blowing agents, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and cyclopentane from the insulating foam in refrigerators and freezers.

GE and ARCA’s initial recycling efforts will begin at ARCA Advanced Processing’s regional recycling center in Pennsylvania. The center is on schedule to be fully operational in the first quarter of 2011.”   …

Via GE: Appliance Disposal Press Release.

Appliance Recycling Centers of America.

Posted by Green Tech at 01:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

GE will supply wind turbine technology for renewable energy projects in Romanian wind farms.  …

…   “Developing wind farms is a cornerstone of Romania’s effort to reach its renewable energy commitment to the European Union.

The target is to have 24 percent of its energy produced from renewable resources by 2020.

Romania recently enhanced its renewable energy legislation, extending green certificates issued for renewables projects from 2015 to 2017 and increasing other financial incentives for wind energy developers. “   …

Via GE: Turbine Technology, Press Release.

Posted by Green Tech at 06:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

piloted by GE research team.  The team integrates a high-energy density sodium battery with a high-power lithium battery into a dual power system to optimize performance for acceleration and range.  …

…   “While significant advances in battery technology have been made, further reductions in the size and cost of batteries will be needed to enable the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.

GE researchers believe a dual system with high power and energy storage capacity could achieve the optimal electric driving range and acceleration requirements at a more practical size scale and cost for larger vehicles.

The research is being done as part of a $13 million research project GE is engaged in with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Northeast Advanced Vehicle Consortium, funded under the National Fuel Cell Bus Program. ”   …

GE Hybrid Systems Team.

Research at GE.

National Fuel Cell Bus Program (PDF).

A view of fuel cell bus use in United States bus fleets (PDF).

Posted by Green Tech at 01:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

General Electric announced that they would purchase 25,000 EV by 2015.  This is the largest EV purchase announced so far and will get GE closer towards their goal of having half their global fleet being EV by 2015.  

The plan is to buy 12,000 Chevy Volts (General Motors) starting in 2011 and then buy from other manufacturers as they are brfought to the market.

GE will initially purchase 12,000 GM vehicles, beginning with the Chevrolet Volt in 2011, and will add other vehicles as manufacturers bring them to market. By 2015 GE will convert at least half of its global fleet of 30,000 vehicles and will partner with its fleet customers to deploy a total of 25,000 EVs.

GE's Jeffery Immelt says ..." Wide-scale adoption of electric vehicles will also drive clean energy innovation, strengthen energy security and deliver economic value.”"

Via:  GE  LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 03:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

GE and Better Place will collaborate to advance the development of the electric vehicle infrastructure.  The partnership will leverage technology standards, create financing for batteries development, and expand into deployment into fleets.  …

…   “Standards-based technology: GE’s WattStation will be compatible with the Better Place network. Under the Better Place model, the ownership of the car and battery is separated, allowing EV drivers to avoid the heavy up-front cost of the battery and instead pay for miles and a more convenient, cleaner solution for personal transport.

This partnership will allow consumers that manage charging costs under Better Place’s network to easily charge their vehicles using GE’s WattStation.

Establishing charging uniformity for electric vehicle drivers, guarantees drivers can roam from one charge point to another under one seamless transaction for faster charging and a more convenient experience.

Battery Financing: GE and Better Place will develop a battery financing program that begins with a pilot project to finance 10,000 batteries in Israel and Denmark, which are the first two markets for Better Place.

This financing will further drive the early EV market in those countries, helping to bring the first 10,000 electric cars to consumers there.

Fleet Electrification: GE and Better Place are collaborating to target fleet owners for pilot projects to test a comprehensive fleet electrification offering model in major city centers and connecting highways.

The goal is to convert corporate fleet owners to electric fleets, so owners reap both the economic benefits of lower cost of ownership as well as reducing harmful carbon emissions. ”   …

Via Better Place: Collaboration with GE (Release).

Posted by Green Tech at 03:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

GE introduces new hybrid heat pump water heater, the GeoSpring, which is targeted at saving energy in retrofit applications.  It is Energy Star-qualified and can reduce water heater operating expenses up to 62 percent.  …

…   “The GeoSpring hybrid electric heat pump water heater is ideal for energy efficiency and low-income weatherization programs, offering easy replacement of a standard electric water heater and offering a Savings to Investment ratio (SIR) of between 2.0 and 2.8 for the 10-year warranty period.”   …

Via Yahoo: Hybrid Water Heater (Release).

The GeoSpring.

Posted by Green Tech at 10:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

GE partners with Nissan to advance the understanding and state of technology for enabling the electric vehicle infrastructure.  …

... "there are a number of potential issues that must be studied and quantified, such as whether clusters of electric vehicles will tax the local electrical distribution system, including transformers. " ...

Via GE: Electric car smart charging

Posted by Green Tech at 09:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Green technology essentially involves revamping the physical infrastructure of the modern world: replacing coal-fired power plants with wind turbines, building homes from materials concocted in chemistry laboratories, and swapping out engines for electric motors. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 10:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The new GE Energy Smart LED bulb is expected to outperform currently available products that may be underwhelming consumers right now. GE scientists and engineers designed the bulb to better direct light downward on the intended surface and all around, not just out the top of a lampshade, as most current LED bulbs are prone to do. The new GE LED bulb offers 450 lumens -- the Energy Star threshold to be considered a 40-watt incandescent replacement. Currently available LED bulbs produce 350 lumens or less. GE has filed multiple patent applications for the bulb and expects it will be an ENERGY STAR qualified LED omnidirectional light bulb. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 02:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "the vision for thin film solar panels is that they will be lightweight, inexpensive and can one day be wrapped around objects, conform to a roof, or even hung like sails. GE is stepping up the pace of its thin film work in conjunction with PrimeStar Solar Inc., which is an Arvada, Colorado-based startup firm in which GE is a majority investor.

The GE/PrimeStar product is being developed at PrimeStar’s headquarters in Arvada, Colo. A team of PrimeStar technologists with more than 100 years of combined thin film deposition expertise is working closely with GE researchers, who are focused on several key areas in order to achieve best-in-class technology.

GE’s research team in Niskayuna, N.Y., is working on all facets of CdTe module development, including material growth, device development and robust process development. Their technical expertise cuts across diverse fields such as surface chemistry, laser processing and plasma physics. " ...

Continue reading "Thin film solar cells research focus by GE" »

Posted by Green Tech at 10:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

GE has created a new water heater - a next generation - that saves energy by novel use of technology.  Advanced (for a water heater at least) technology from other areas like sophisticated controls, hybrid modes and heat pumps can result in a very energy efficient water heater.

" ...  GE rethought every aspect of this appliance from the ground up. ... can reduce water heater operating cost up to 62% and save $320 per year ... "

" eHeat™ Mode (most energy efficient mode) ... [using a heat pump] removes heat from the surrounding air, heats the water ... Time required to heat water is longer in this mode, but should be adequate for normal demand households. ... Hybrid Mode (default mode) Combines ... eHeat with the recovery speed and power of standard electric. ...  High Demand Mode ... higher than average water usage ... Standard Electric Mode ... faster than all other modes but it is the LEAST energy-efficient mode."

A control panel at eye level allows for easy access  and control.  Leave it alone or use it as needed to customize your hot water needs . " ... enables the vacation mode " .... system will drop the temperature set point to 50°F to save energy ... preventing the water from freezing ... automatically heats the water to the previous set temperature the day before you are expected to return. ..."

The GeoSpring electric heat pump water heater is the first residential electric water heater with an electronic back-lit LCD display. The panel features a user-friendly control system located at eye-level to eliminate the need to bend down to the floor to adjust temperature settings. Changing the mode and temperature is as easy as following the on-screen menu. This easy-to-use electronic control panel offers both simplicity and flexibility, giving consumers as much or as little control as they like.

Via:  GE LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 06:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Imaging a ZERO energy home.  Sound realistic? GE thinks so !

GE's “Net Zero Energy Home” ..." ... combines GE’s most efficient appliances and lighting, GE’s new energy management systems, and GE power generating and storing technologies. ... together, the system will enable a homeowner to achieve net zero energy costs by 2015."

" ... the Home Energy Manager, the central nervous system for the Net Zero Energy Home. ... smart thermostats will also be introduced ... to work in tandem with the energy manager. ... plans to develop residential power generation products like solar PV and residential wind products that will also contribute to the net zero concept."

" ... respondents in the U.S. and ... in the U.K. say they are willing to pay an increased monthly rate for smart grid technology if there is a corresponding reduction in overall energy costs by 15 percent."

Via:  GE  LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 05:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The new lighting is expected to save more than 5.8 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year, which is equivalent to planting more than 950 acres of trees. Importantly, it demonstrates the kind of impact that replacing high-voltage neon and less-efficient florescent lighting with LEDs can have when rolled out on a large, commercial scale. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 09:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The initiative, called Energy Smart Miami would help Miami-Dade County consumers save money by giving them more choices over how they consume and conserve electrical power. It would also generate near-term demand for green collar jobs to support its implementation, while further solidifying Miami's national leadership in championing the responsible environmental practices needed to address the longer-term challenge of addressing climate change, which poses a significant threat to Florida and its coastal regions. Energy Smart Miami has the potential to be the most extensive and holistic smart grid implementation in the country. The backbone of Energy Smart Miami will be the deployment of more than 1 million advanced wireless smart meters to every home and most businesses in Miami-Dade County. These meters will give Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) customers more information and control over their electricity usage while also providing FPL with information that will enhance system efficiency and reliability. Implementation of the smart meters will be based on open network architecture, allowing other providers to develop and deploy new applications that could, for example, help consumers better manage the electricity usage of their air conditioning and appliances. " ...

Continue reading "Miami Smart Grid Initiative Uses Wireless Meters" »

Posted by Green Tech at 06:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The new environmentally designed building, which is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold certified, will house nearly 2,000 researchers. " ...

Continue reading "GE LEED Gold Research Facility" »

Posted by Green Tech at 08:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The company’s rooftop concentration modules aim to be the market’s most efficient, and will deliver the highest total energy yield when integrated into complete rooftop systems. Compatible with conventional racks and inverters, its modules leverage high efficiency solar cells and integrated two-axis tracking to maximize the total energy harvest. This increased performance results in lower system costs, high energy density and corresponding high return on investment. Soliant plans to open a 40-megawatt production plant late next year. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 08:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Growth was very strong in energy infrastructure, where profits grew 31%, and GE says its backlogs are strong and that it isn’t seeing much in the way of cancellations. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 06:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"... a whole-home solution that benefits the environment and your wallet. Designed to lower overall household energy consumption, emissions and indoor water consumption,... combines building science with high performance products ..."

Source: GE Consumer & Industrial

Via:  GE ecomagination Homebuilder Program  Link 

Posted by Green Dude at 06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "scientists on their Nano Photovoltaics (PV) team have demonstrated a scalable silicon nanowire-based solar cell, which has the potential to achieve up to 18% efficiency and be produced at a dramatically lower cost than conventional solar cells. This demonstration represents a promising development in the effort to make PV systems more economically viable for consumers. " ...

Continue reading "Scalable LowCost Nanowire Solar Photovoltaic Cell Innovation" »

Posted by Green Tech at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "GE Energy Financial Services is acquiring a majority equity interest in the five solar photovoltaic projects, which SunPower will design and build, operate and maintain. GE Energy Financial Services will finance and own the systems under the SunPower Access power purchase agreement program, which allows customers to take advantage of the environmental and financial benefits of solar power with no upfront capital costs. The solar electricity will be competitively priced against retail rates, providing customers a long-term hedge against rising peak power prices. Construction of the projects is scheduled to begin in February and be completed by the end of the year. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 08:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "GE Energy announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire a minority equity interest in PrimeStar Solar, Inc., an emerging solar thin-film technology and manufacturing company. PrimeStar Solar, headquartered in Golden, Colo., was formed in June 2006 to develop and commercialize thin-film photovoltaic modules. The company has 31 employees, including a core management team with more than 100 years of thin-film equipment and process experience. " ...

Via PrimeStar Solar: STRATEGIC INVESTMENT IN EMERGING SOLAR TECHNOLOGY COMPANY (PDF)


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Posted by Green Tech at 08:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

G.E. Announces the Earth Rewards "Green Credit Card.  The Rewards are in the form of reliable greenhouse gas offsets - even the application process is GREEN (paperless).

To learn more --- Read on: 

"New York, NY, July 25, 2007 – ...  the GE Money Earth RewardsSM Platinum MasterCard,® the first US credit card dedicated to reducing cardholders’ carbon emissions through trustworthy and reliable greenhouse gas emission offsets."

" ... the first consumer finance product in GE’s ecomagination portfolio – allows users to reduce their carbon footprint by automatically contributing up to one percent of their card purchases to buy greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions offsets. ... making Earth Rewards their primary card, a typical consumer could ... offset a significant portion of their likely direct annual GHG emissions. The application process is 100 percent paperless, ...".

“ ... the consumer-focused, educational MyEarthRewards.com and ecomagination.com web sites highlight the ways that GE is helping customers meet their growing environmental needs.”

" ... Each Earth Day (April 22), those Rewards will be used to purchase and retire greenhouse gas emissions credits through GE AES Greenhouse Gas Services, a joint venture between GE Energy Financial Services and The AES Corporation, ... ".

“GE and AES are committed to reducing 10 million metric tons of greenhouse gases each year by 2010 – equal to taking nearly 1.8 million cars off the road annually, ...”.

"... consumers will be able to select  ... a full one percent of their card net purchases to GHG emission reduction projects; or contribute ½ percent to reduction projects and receive ½ percent cash back through their monthly statements ... will be able to switch back and forth between reward programs whenever they choose... ".

Sounds great.  What is the impact a typical consumer cam make based on selected spending?

"Purchase Amount - Environmental Impact"
"$25 - Offsets the emissions associated with running a typical refrigerator for a month."
"$500 - Offsets the emissions from driving nearly 1,500 miles in the average car."
"$750/month for one year - Offsets the direct emissions one consumer is likely to produce in a year."

"The Earth Rewards card was launched at 7 World Trade Center, New York City’s first high performance LEED-certified commercial building (“LEED” is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System™,... ".

For educational information: ecomagination.com 

Via:   G.E. NewsCenter.com Link

Posted by Green Dude at 05:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "GE will provide 52 of the 2.5xl machines to Zorlu Enerji Elektrik retim A.S. for the wind park in Bahce, about 40 kilometers from Osmaniye province. This will be the largest wind power project to date in Turkey. The project’s estimated annual electricity production of 500 million kilowatt-hours will be purchased by independent power consumers. Interest in wind-generated electricity has been increasing in Turkey. According to the European Wind Energy Association, the country had 84 megawatts of installed wind capacity at the beginning of 2007, an increase of 65 megawatts from the start of 2006. The 2.5xl wind turbines will be manufactured at GE Energy’s facilities in Salzbergen, Germany and Noblejas, Spain and shipped to the project site for installation beginning in March of 2008. " ...

Via GE: GE Energy's 2.5xl Wind Turbine Technology Selected for Largest Wind Project in Turkey

Posted by Green Tech at 09:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "GE and BP’s global alliance will work to facilitate the development, demonstration and full integration of gasification and power generation technology into hydrogen power projects. These projects combine power generation from fossil fuels with carbon capture and storage to deliver commercial-scale power generation with 90 percent of the carbon in the fuel - which otherwise would have been emitted to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide - captured and permanently stored deep underground. In some cases, injection of captured carbon dioxide into oil reservoirs for storage also may result in the production of otherwise unrecoverable oil. For these enhanced oil recovery applications, the carbon dioxide has significant value, which helps make carbon capture and storage economically viable. For hydrogen power projects to be able to compete effectively in the electricity market, they would require appropriate policy support and a regulatory environment that recognizes and encourages the low-carbon benefits they can deliver. " ...

Via General Electric: Alliance to Develop and Deploy Hydrogen Power Technologies

Posted by Green Tech at 09:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It's that time of year when stockholders are getting deluged with annual reports and related materials.  That means lots of paper.  

Many companies are allowing stockholders to receive all shareholder / proxy materials in electronic form ....

 But suppose you feel the need to feel the paper ... Can an annual report be "green"?
>>> GE might be getting close ...

From GE's 2006 Annual Report:  " ... This document was printed on paper that contains from 10% to 100% post-consumer material. The majority of the power utilized was renewable energy, produced with GE’s wind and biogas technologies, and powered by GE steam engines and turbine engines. The paper was supplied by participants of the Sustainable Initiative Programs. GE employed a printer that produces all of its own electricity and is a verified totally enclosed facility that produces virtually no volatile organic compound emissions."

"Visit our interactive online annual report at www.ge.com/annual06 "

So - here's the big question:

Do you chose paper or electronic?  Sort of a twist on the old paper or plastic question they ask at the supermarket! 

Via:  GE.com    Link

Posted by Green Dude at 06:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Did you know that the "average home (is) often responsible for more than twice the annual greenhouse gas emissions than the average car, ... "

Looking for ways to reduce YOUR ENERGY CONSUMPTION?

>>> Check out these ideas from GE. ..."Use GE Energy Smart™ light bulbs and replace your aged dishwasher, refrigerator, air conditioner and washing machine with ENERGY STAR qualified appliances."

Posted by Green Dude at 05:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

General Electric Energy Financial Services recently announced investments in Wind Farms in CA, IL, NM and PA.

"... announced today (19-Feb--07) that it has committed to invest in a 410-megawatt wind farm portfolio, among its single largest wind investments."  Details by State and MegaWatt  are below.

Wind Farm Details (State, MW Rated, Utility Served and Turbine):

"Aragonne Mesa (90 megawatts) in Guadalupe County, New Mexico. Built with Mitsubishi 1000A turbines, Arizona Public Services is the project’s off-taker."

"Allegheny Ridge I and II, (80 and 70 megawatts respectively), in Pennsylvania’s Cambria and Blair counties. FirstEnergy Solutions, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., has contracted to purchase the output of the two wind farms, which use Gamesa G87 turbines."

"GSG (80 megawatts), in Illinois’ Lee and LaSalle counties. Using Gamesa G87 turbines, the output will be sold at market prices."

"Mendota Hills (52 megawatts), in Lee County, Illinois. The wind farm uses Gamesa G52 turbines and will sell output at market prices."

"Buena Vista (38 megawatts), in the Altamont Pass area of Northern California. The output is contracted to PG&E Corporation and uses Mitsubishi 1000A turbines."

"All the wind farms have either been completed or will be completed by the end of April, except Allegheny Ridge II, expected to be finished by December."

Via: huliq.com    Link 

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