FAIRFIELD, Conn. 28 June 2012-- GE today
released its 2011 ecomagination progress report, announcing
that the initiative has reached more than $105 billion in sales and
services since its launch in 2005.
For the year, GE generated $21 billion in revenues from
ecomagination products and services and invested more than $2
billion in research and development, continuing progress toward the
company's goal of a $10 billion cumulative investment from 2010 to
2015.
Thirty four new products and services were added to the
ecomagination portfolio in 2011, including:
- The FlexEfficiency* 50 Combined Cycle Power Plant,
a first-of-its-kind power plant engineered to deliver a new
standard for flexibility and efficiency. The technology enables the
integration of power from a variety of sources, including solar and
wind.
- The Waukesha 275GL+ natural gas engine, which
produces lower greenhouse gas emissions relative to comparable
natural gas engines. In one application, a 16V Waukesha 275GL+
engine operating at the same horsepower as a competitive engine can
avoid more than 1,900 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year,
equivalent to the annual CO2 emissions of more than 380 cars on
U.S. roads.
- GE's RailEdge Movement Planner® software technology that helps
railroad customers move freight faster and smarter. In one example,
a customer increased average train velocity in a segment of its
network by 10 percent. If used throughout the network, it could
help avoid the consumption of 37 million gallons of diesel fuel per
year, equivalent to the annual CO2 emissions of approximately
73,000 cars on U.S. roads.
GE also introduced its first two ecomagination-qualified
solutions - the fleet electrification solution and the ecomagination Kitchen, a suite of products
that can help to reduce kitchen electricity use by up to 20
percent.
"In a volatile world where the global
population is increasing and governments are under financial
pressure, ecomagination is a path forward." Mark Vachon, vice
president of ecomagination, GE.
Noted Mark Vachon, vice president of ecomagination, GE,
"The results we have generated through ecomagination prove we
are delivering to our customers what they need most. Whether they
are countries, municipalities, companies or individuals,
ecomagination is about resource efficiency and increased
productivity - ecomagination offers great economics."
Reinforcing its commitment to open innovation, to date, GE and
its venture capital partners have invested $134 million in GE's
ecomagination Challenge winners. In 2011, the company launched a
regional Challenge in China where it committed $100 million to find
and fund the best gas-powered energy applications.
Since its launch, the Challenge has produced 22 new commercial
partnerships, including energy efficient building maker, Project
Frog and SynapSense, makers of wireless sensor technology and
software that reduces electricity consumption in data centers. All
have the potential to transform markets and radically increase
resource efficiency.
The report also highlights GE's industry-leading operational
rigor, which resulted in further greenhouse gas and water use
reductions. Greenhouse gas emissions were lowered 29 percent as
compared with an adjusted 2004 baseline. Similarly, fresh water use
was reduced 35 percent from the 2006 adjusted baseline.
The 2011 ecomagination progress report provides an update on the
advancements GE has made against its five ecomagination
commitments, which include:
- Double investment in clean-tech
research and development:GE reinforced its commitment to investing
in the future, deploying $2.3 billion in ecomagination R&D.
With a total R&D investment of more than $4 billion in 2010 and
2011, the company is on track toward its goal of a $10 billion
cumulative investment from 2010 to 2015.
- Increase revenues from ecomagination
products:In 2010, GE set an ambitious goal of growing ecomagination
revenues at twice the rate of total company revenue in the next
five years. With 34 new products and services generating $21
billion -ecomagination revenue continues to grow at twice the rate
of total company revenues.
- Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
and improve the energy efficiency of operations:In 2011, GE energy
use was lowered to 48.17 million MMBtu, a reduction of 19 percent
from the adjusted 2004 baseline. In addition, greenhouse gas
emissions were lowered to 5.09 million metric tons of CO2
equivalents, a reduction of 29 percent from the adjusted 2004
baseline.
- Reduce water use and improve water
reuse:Total fresh water use was 9.1 billion gallons, a 35 percent
reduction from the 2006 baseline, and a 13.5 percent decrease from
2010.
- Keep the public informed: GE is
committed to keeping our customers, stakeholders and communities
informed and engaged. Interact with the 2011 ecomagination progress
report at: http://www.ecomagination.com/progress.