GE Energy Storage, has invested over £1.7million and created more than 50 new jobs at its battery research facility in Burton-on-Trent as it expands its world leading battery technology into new applications.
GE's high tech Durathon™ battery is becoming well-known by customers around the globe as one of the world's toughest industrial batteries. Its unique sodium metal halide chemistry can provide uninterruptible power for more than 15 years and can also endure the toughest climates from Arctic cold to desert conditions.
The UK business, formerly known as Beta R & D before its acquisition by General Electric (GE) in 2007, is funding the expansion of two sites in Burton including investment in new equipment and new jobs. The GE site at Sovereign Business Park, Hawkins Lane undertakes the complex ceramic research and development needed to produce battery cells while cell and battery assembly takes place at another company site in Lancaster Park, Needwood.
The Burton sites are developing new battery technology but are also producing prototype batteries for a new GE battery manufacturing facility in the United States.
"It is an exciting time for the business. Battery technology is very much a technology of the moment," said Roger Bull Managing Director of the GE Energy Storage sites. "If the world is going to adopt new, 'green' technologies such as electric cars or wind power, it needs to find better ways to store energy. With many renewable technologies, there are peaks and troughs of power -- wind energy is a good example. Advanced technology such as the Durathon™ battery will be vital to distribute energy through the grid network smoothly and efficiently."
Durathon™ technology is expected to play a big role in the transition to renewable forms of energy and power. Throughout the next few years the UK and other countries will be significantly upgrading electricity grid systems, to improve efficiency and help integrate new energy technologies such as wind and electric vehicles. Recently, GE pledged to purchase 25,000 electric vehicles for its global fleet by 2015.
The Durathon™ battery is currently used to provide uninterruptible power for telecom base stations, data centres and utility systems with plans to develop motive applications such as hybrid locomotives and mining vehicles.
The Durathon™ team already sells the battery around the world with priority markets for expansion including China, India, the Americas and Europe.
Commented Andrew Griffiths Conservative MP for Burton: "It is great to see a local company such as GE Energy Storage investing in the area and creating new jobs. It is exciting to see this local site playing such an important role in driving the adoption of clean energy on an international scale."
GE Energy Storage moved to Burton-on-Trent in 2007 from Derby, where the Beta R & D team was based for more than 20 years.
MD Roger Bull said: "GE was keen to acquire this business because it wanted to be self sufficient in battery technology. We at GE Energy Storage are now part of a global technology company with many hundreds of other scientists and researchers working on similar areas. For us, at Burton, that is a great opportunity.
Mark Maguire
GE
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+44 20 7302 6068
+44 7717 517071
Sara Cruz
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0207-534-0623