- Prominent Growers Association Successfully Launches Demonstration Project Featuring GE’s Asset Performance Management Software to Monitor Greenhouse Combined Heat and Power Plants
- Greenhouse Collective Sees Operational Benefits of Using Software to Monitor 50 Jenbacher Engines at 40 Greenhouse Sites in the Netherlands
- Initiative Builds on GE’s Commercial Greenhouse Technology Collaboration with Prominent
PARIS-June 14, 2016-Highlighting the growing industrial use of digital technologies, GE’s Distributed Power business (NYSE: GE) today announced that Prominent Growers Association, a leading tomato greenhouse growers collective in the Netherlands, is reporting it has achieved important operational benefits by installing GE’s Asset Performance Management (APM) software to remotely monitor 50 cogeneration plants, which are providing reliable on-site power and heat to the group’s 40 high-tech greenhouses.
Prominent announced its successful APM software demonstration at the GE Minds + Machines Europe 2016 conference in Paris. The event, hosted by GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt, gathered industry leaders from pan-European industrial companies, European industrial thought leaders and executives from GE businesses for a day-long forum to focus on the digital transformation of industry.
Prominent’s pilot project demonstrated how industrial operators can use APM to increase the performance of their on-site cogeneration plants by detecting potential issues with the engines-many of which can be addressed remotely. The group’s member greenhouses operate a total of 50 GE-supplied Jenbacher gas engines used to generate reliable power, heat and CO2 at 40 greenhouse facilities.
“By using GE’s Asset Performance Management software, we are already seeing the enhanced operating performance of our Jenbacher gas engine fleet,” said Ferdi van Elswijk, energy manager for Prominent Growers Association and founder of the Prominent Greenhouse Academy in the Netherlands. “APM gives us greater real-time visibility of the condition of our Jenbacher cogeneration units to help ensure their availability, which allows us to meet our crop production targets and be more globally competitive. Plus, it can help us manage peaking power generation when the feed-in tariff is high.”
APM is powered by Predix*, GE’s cloud-based Industrial Internet platform. Industrial Internet solutions from GE are transforming the way people and machines interact by using data and analytics to drive efficiency, accelerate productivity and achieve operational excellence.
“With our next-generation Asset Performance Management solution, Prominent is demonstrating how industrial operators can utilize the latest in digital technologies to remotely monitor the performance and condition of their CHP plants in order to rise the operation to new levels of reliability, availability and operating performance,” said Carlos Lange, president of GE Power’s Distributed Power business. “Prominent’s APM project further strengthens the association’s technology leadership role in the global horticultural sector.”
Prominent consists of 26 members with 40 sprawling, high-tech greenhouse facilities that supply 20 percent of the country’s vine tomatoes. To meet their on-site power, heating, CO2 and artificial lighting needs, Prominent’s members utilize combined heat and power (CHP) systems that produce a total of more than 150 megawatts (MW). A majority of this power (up to 131 MW) is supplied by the 50 Jenbacher gas engine CHP units.
If Prominent’s APM system detects an anomaly in one of its 50 cogeneration units, GE’s Quick Response Center (QRC) in the Netherlands then reviews data trends and engine messages and systematically validates the probable root cause of the issue. The QRC may then deploy field service experts to perform corrective actions to the equipment. However, in 50 percent of cases, engines can be reset remotely, eliminating travel time and expenses.
The APM software demonstration project builds on Prominent’s decades-long history of collaborating with GE in deploying advanced CHP and CO2 fertilization technologies to its members to improve their position in Europe’s horticultural sector.
GE’s Distributed Power operates a center of excellence (CoE) in the Netherlands for all commercial greenhouse applications globally. Here, GE developed its pioneering CO2 fertilization system for commercial greenhouses. This system captures CO2 from engine exhaust and recycles the greenhouse gas as a fertilizer, enabling growers to boost their crop production. GE’s QRC operation is co-located with the greenhouse applications CoE.
About GE’s Distributed Power Business
GE’s Distributed Power business is a leading provider of engines, power equipment and services focused on power generation and gas compression at or near the point of use. Distributed Power offers a diverse product portfolio that includes highly efficient, fuel-flexible, industrial gas engines generating 200 kW to 10 MW each of power for numerous industries globally. In addition, the business provides life cycle support for more than 36,000 gas engines worldwide to help you meet your business challenges and success metrics-anywhere and anytime. Backed by our authorized service providers in more than 170 countries, GE‘s global service network connects with you locally for rapid response to your service needs. GE’s Distributed Power business is headquartered in Jenbach, Austria.
About GE Power
GE Power is a world leader in power generation with deep domain expertise to help customers deliver electricity from a wide spectrum of fuel sources. We are transforming the electricity industry with the digital power plant, the world’s largest and most efficient gas turbine, full balance of plant, upgrade and service solutions as well as our data-leveraging software. Our innovative technologies and digital offerings help make power more affordable, reliable, accessible and sustainable.
For more information, visit the company's website at www.gepower.com. Follow GE Power on Twitter @GE_Power and on LinkedIn at GE Power.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) is the world’s Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE is organized around a global exchange of knowledge, the "GE Store," through which each business shares and accesses the same technology, markets, structure and intellect. Each invention further fuels innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the language of industry. www.ge.com
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Susanne Reichelt
GE Power
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+43 5244 600 2382