- GE has supplied the first of three 2 MW Jenbacher Combined Heat and Power (CHP) engines, for the 67 acre King's Cross development
- The engine, affectionately named the Pink Panther, has been uniquely painted pink to support Breast Cancer Research
- From 12-20 May the team will be trailing the Pink Panther in a 750 mile charity cycle ride from Jenbach, in Austria where the engine was built, to its new home in King's Cross
The first of three 2 MW Jenbacher CHP systems, provided by GE, has been installed at the on-site energy centre in King's Cross which together will supply 100% of the development's heat and offset almost 80% of its electrical power demand.
The deal between GE and the King's Cross Central Limited Partnership is focused on the long term sustainability of the development and the first engine is due to be commissioned this summer.
Once commissioned, the CHP engine will not only generate electricity, which will be fed into the grid network, but will also provide heat for the development wide District Heating System (DHS). All of the 70 buildings at King's Cross, from the University of Arts to the Camden Council building, BNP Paribas Real Estate's new offices and the Great Northern Hotel, will be connected to the DHS When complete carbon emissions are expected to be a third less than 'business as usual' and up to 60% less than 2001 levels.
Uniquely, the Jenbacher gas engine has been painted pink (they are normally green) to support Breast Cancer Research and affectionately called the Pink Panther.
To celebrate the engine's arrival at King's Cross, members of the team working on the project have organised a 750 mile charity cycle ride from Jenbach, in Austria, where the engine was built to King's Cross, in central London.
The team's ride from 12-20 May will see them cycle on average 85 miles per day, through the Alps, Germany and France, and aims to raise in excess of £30,000 for two charities -- Breast Cancer Research and Global Generation, a local charity in the King's Cross area which gives young people opportunities to play a part in creating a sustainable future.
To support the team visit their Just Giving page here: http://www.justgiving.com/teams/PinkPanther
At the end of the cycle ride, King's Cross Central Limited Partnership will sign an order for the second of GE's Jenbacher CHP system for the site. The second engine is planned for commissioning in 2013.
GE's Director of Urban Development Chris Smith will be participating in the cycle ride from 12-20 May. Smith commented, "GE is proud to participate in the cycle ride raising awareness of breast cancer and its treatment. Building and supplying the first-ever pink Jenbacher CHP system to King's Cross is a fun way to highlight a very serious cause, while providing Kings Cross with a major component of the development. We value our long-standing relationship with the King's Cross Central Limited Partnership and we look forward to continuing to support their energy requirements."
Clare Hebbes, from the King's Cross Central Limited Partnership, said, "Through our work with GE, we expect to exceed many of the targets we have set for King's Cross as a genuine 21st century sustainable city centre development. GE understands what leading technologies are available and how best to apply them to a piece of city like King's Cross. This starts with the CHP and we anticipate many other initiatives in the years ahead. Both GE and us share a common vision when it comes to sustainability and we are therefore delighted to be working with them at King's Cross. We are training hard for the 750 mile cycle ride - the fact we are raising money for two important causes, Breast Cancer Research and local charity Global Generation, which we have been supporting for some time with projects such as the skip garden, will hopefully get us up the hills in the Alps."
1. About GE
About GE and the Olympics
GE is the exclusive provider of a wide range of innovative products and services that are integral to staging a successful Olympic Games. GE works closely with host countries, cities and organizing committees to provide infrastructure solutions for Olympic venues including power, lighting, water treatment and transportation. GE also supplies local hospitals with diagnostic imaging equipment and healthcare IT solutions like ultrasound, MRI and electronic medical record technologies to help doctors treat athletes. For more information, visit www.ge.com/olympicgames.
About GE in the UK
GE has been operating in the UK since the 1930s and works on things that matter. The best people taking on the toughest challenges. Today our 18,000 UK employees work across 60 major locations, including 25 world-class manufacturing and R&D facilities, finding solutions in energy, oil & gas, healthcare, aerospace and financial industries. Our business is about building, powering. moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information visit www.ge.com/uk.
About GE's healthymagination Initiative
Launched in May 2009, GE's healthymagination initiative is focused on four critical needs: low-cost technology; healthcare IT; innovation accessible to all; and consumer-driven healthcare. GE has committed that by 2015 it will:
- Invest $3 billion in research and development to launch at least 100 innovations that will help deliver better care to more people at lower cost.
- Provide $2 billion in financing and $1 billion in technology to bring healthcare information technology to rural and underserved areas.
- Reduce the cost of procedures that use GE technologies and services by 15 percent and develop products tailored to underserved regions of the world.
- Reach 100 million more people every year with services and technologies essential for health.
More information at www.healthymagination.com.
About ecomagination
ecomagination is GE's business strategy to help customers meet their environmental and operational challenges. It is based on GE's belief that solving environmental problems is good business around the world. It represents a pledge by the company to continually improve operations and invest in research and development that will produce more innovative ecomagination products. Through ecomagination, GE is driving a global energy transformation with a focus on innovation and R&D investment to accelerate the development and deployment of clean energy technology. www.ecomagination.com.
2. About King's Cross - visit www.kingscross.co.uk
In total, the King's Cross Central Limited Partnership project is delivering up to 2,000 new homes, 3.4m sq ft net of office space and 500,000sq ft of retail space. There will be 20 new streets, 10 major public spaces and 20 historic buildings and structures are being restored and refurbished across the 67 acre site
To date nine significant agreements are confirmed at King's Cross -- in order of moving in they are:
1. University of the Arts London -- 5,000 staff and students of Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design have started term at King's Cross (September 2011)
2. GE (General Electric) -- International Olympic Committee sponsor is taking the historic German Gymnasium for its product and solution showcase during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
3. One Housing Group -- will own and manage hundreds of affordable homes. The first two buildings are on site and the first homes will be ready in 2012
4. RAM -- which is re-opening the Great Northern Hotel in early 2013
5. Hoare Lea -- will take 22,000 sq ft in the Western Transit Shed in early 2013
6. Urbanest UK -- will deliver a 657-bedroom landmark student housing scheme ready for occupation in September 2013
7. Camden Council -- move into a new office building at Pancras Square in 2014
8. BNP Paribas Real Estate -- who will move into a new 340,000sq ft office building at Plot B1. Work began in autumn 2012, with delivery by the end of 2014
9. The Aga Khan Development Network and King's Cross Central Limited Partnership have entered into agreements to develop educational, office, cultural, retail and residential spaces. Construction is due to start in late 2012.
Around King's Cross, over £2bn has been invested in the transport infrastructure alone, with the latest investment, a new concourse for King's Cross station, opening in 2012. The King's Cross Central Limited Partnership is investing over £250m in public realm, energy and other infrastructure including:
1. Granary Square -- one of the largest public squares in London
2. The energy centre and district heating grid
3. A new bridge across the Regent's Canal into Granary Square -- which is now open
4. 20 new roads including 'King's Boulevard', the first major street to be built in London in 100 years, which is now open.
King's Cross is being developed by the King's Cross Central Limited Partnership, which brings together:
- Argent King's Cross Limited Partnership backed by Argent Group PLC, one of the UK's best respected property development companies and Hermes Real Estate on behalf of the BT Pension Scheme. Argent is the Asset Manager for King's Cross Central.
- London and Continental Railways Limited is a UK Government-owned property company whose primary focus is the important regeneration projects at King's Cross Central and The International Quarter, Stratford City. Previously LCR delivered the award-winning High Speed 1 Railway including the rebirth of St Pancras International.
- DHL Supply Chain is a world-class provider of supply chain solutions.
Metropolitan King's Cross (MKC), a sister company of King's Cross Central Limited partnership, was created in 2010 specifically to generate heat and power to meet the carbon reduction commitments of King's Cross, a 67 acre development in Central London. When complete, carbon emissions are expected to be a third less than 'business as usual' and up to 60% less than 2001 levels.
Jaclyn Siegel
GE
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+44-(0)20-8185-2473
+44-(0)75-0015-6624