Skip to main content
×

GE.com has been updated to serve our three go-forward companies.

Please visit these standalone sites for more information

GE Aerospace | GE Vernova | GE HealthCare 

Press Release

GE's Natural Gas-Fueled Technology Chosen to Power the Coldwater BPU Peaking Plant

September 16, 2014

COLDWATER, MICH.---September 16, 2014---GE's Distributed Power business (NYSE: GE) announced today that its low-emissions reciprocating engine technology has been chosen by Michigan South Central Power Agency (MSCPA) to replace outdated diesel units to meet the energy capacity needs for the city of Coldwater. The peaking project corresponds with the expansion of Mastronardi Produce's Coldwater greenhouses by 28.8 acres to grow peppers, and GE's natural gas-fueled engines will be supplied by Inland Power Group for the Coldwater Board of Public Utilities (CBPU) to produce 13 megawatts (MW) of peak power generation. The project also will provide the capability for the CBPU to partner with Mastronardi Produce to supply carbon dioxide (CO2) and heat for the greenhouse.

During a groundbreaking ceremony for the new plant today, CBPU and Inland Power Group's leaders explained their selection of three of GE's Jenbacher J624 two-stage gas engines as an excellent replacement for Coldwater's diesel units, which were removed by the city over the past two years. The new engines will provide enough electricity to power the equivalent of 13,000 American homes, and for maximum efficiency, the plant also will have the ability to use captured heat and CO2 from the engines to help grow the greenhouse's vegetables. This innovative process is known as combined heat and power (CHP) and has been successfully implemented at other greenhouses across the globe.

"We are excited to begin construction on this new facility to help power the city of Coldwater and support our mission of providing cost-effective and reliable electric service to our customers," said Director Paul Beckhusen, CBPU. "I look forward to this new natural gas-fueled plant to start operating next year as we diversify our energy generation portfolio and provide a unique opportunity to support Michigan's growth in greenhouse agriculture."

Michigan's agricultural sector contributes $91.4 billion dollars to the state economy, and more than 923,000 people are employed in the industry[1]. To help maintain the agricultural industry's success year-round, the new plant is expected to be operational in mid-2015---just in time for the fall season's colder weather to set in and when traditional vegetable growing becomes nearly impossible. Greenhouses can grow vegetables all year without issue and provide much needed sustainability for both local and state agricultural industries during the winter months.

Inland Power Group (IPG), an authorized distributor for GE's distributed power products in the Midwestern United States, will oversee the engineering and configuration support for CBPU. In addition to supplying the engines, GE will support integration of the plant's equipment with the greenhouse. GE has a successful history of developing CHP projects for greenhouses worldwide with more than 1,000 engines of similar configurations delivered today.

"For more than 50 years, we have been proud to call the Midwest our home, and we are thrilled to work with CBPU and MSCPA on bringing high-efficiency power to the area of Coldwater," said Jon Going, director of sales for Jenbacher gas engines at Inland Power Group. "We are proud to have been selected for this project and look forward to providing GE's latest distributed power technology as a new solution for peak power demand."

"We believe that our CHP technology is an excellent choice for greenhouses globally, and we appreciate CBPU and MSCPA including us as part of their vision for energy and environmental leadership in Coldwater," said Darryl Wilson, chief commercial officer of GE's Distributed Power business. "Our experience in CHP solutions, coupled with Inland Power Group's executional rigor, will help to give the community of Coldwater a power generation facility it can be proud of."

GE Power & Water's Distributed Power business is a leading provider of power equipment, engines and services, focused on power generation at or near the point of use. Distributed Power's product portfolio includes GE's aeroderivative gas turbines and reciprocating engines---including Jenbacher gas engines and Waukesha gas engines--which generate 100 kilowatts to 100 MW of power for numerous industries globally. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Distributed Power employs about 5,000 people around the world.

About Inland Power Group

Inland Power Group has over 50 years of experience in power generation, supporting diverse applications throughout the Midwest. Inland serves customers across industries, from Dairy/Agriculture to Data Centers, and from Landfill gas CHP projects to Airport Control Towers. In the ground or high above, Inland has the power to support you from grid to load. Our technicians are factory trained with many years of field experience on GE's gas engines power generation and distribution technologies, including GE's Jenbacher gas engines, UPS, switchgear and ancillary equipment for all your needs from planning to startup to ongoing maintenance. For more information, visit the company's website at www.inlandpowergroup.com.

Miron Construction Co., Inc.

Recently ranked as the largest Wisconsin-based contractor in the Midwest by ENR Midwest. Miron is a forward-thinking, fast-growing private company completing work throughout the nation, Miron is also listed among the top 100 general contractors in the United States by Engineering News Record (based on posted revenue of $685 million for 2013). Miron provides innovative pre-construction, construction management, design-build, industrial and general construction services and is headquartered in Neenah, Wis., with regional offices in Madison, Wausau and Milwaukee, Wis., and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Miron is the Official Provider of Construction Services for the Green Bay Packers and Lambeau Field. For more information, please visit www.miron-construction.com.

About GE

GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.

About GE Power & Water

GE Power & Water provides customers with a broad array of power generation, energy delivery and water process technologies to solve their challenges locally. Power & Water works in all areas of the energy industry including renewable resources such as wind and solar, biogas and alternative fuels; and coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy. The business also develops advanced technologies to help solve the world's most complex challenges related to water availability and quality. Power & Water's six business units include Distributed Power, Nuclear Energy, Power Generation Products, Power Generation Services, Renewable Energy and Water & Process Technologies. Headquartered in Schenectady, N.Y., Power & Water is GE's largest industrial business.

Follow GE Power & Water on Twitter @GE_PowerWater and on LinkedIn. To hear the latest news and conversations for Distributed Power, use the Twitter hashtag #DistributedPower.

Howard Masto
Masto Public Relations
[email protected]
1-518-786-6488

Gina DeRossi
Soteryx Corporation
[email protected]
+1 518 886 1076

Martina Streiter
GE Gas Engines
[email protected]
+43-5244-600-2470

GE news
Masto Public Relations
[email protected]

Jon Going

Charles Bauschard


business unit
tags