The GE Brief: July 14, 2021
AN AMBITIOUS SUSTAINABILITY GOAL
Last year, GE made a commitment to becoming carbon neutral in its own operations by 2030. In GE’s 2020 Sustainability Report, released this week, the company is going even further, with an ambition to be net zero by 2050, including Scope 3 emissions from the use of sold products. GE’s tradition of innovation will play a big role as engineers find new ways to help solve looming challenges like the energy transition to address climate change, precision healthcare that personalizes diagnoses and treatments, and smarter and more efficient flight — while also working to improve the quality of life for people everywhere.
Leading the charge: Roger Martella, GE’s chief sustainability officer, has a better understanding of the size of the problems — and of GE’s potential to help solve them — than most people. Speaking with GE Reports, he said it’s important to remember that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, any advances must be tailored to varying socioeconomic conditions, different political systems and geographies. Says Martella, “We know the stakes are high, and we know that we have to succeed.”
Click here to read our Q&A with Roger Martella, and check out the video below.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced last week that New York will make a big push to bring green hydrogen into the state’s portfolio of sustainable energy solutions — and GE will help along the way. This fall, the Brentwood Power Station on Long Island will begin a full-scale demonstration project to test the feasibility of running on a blend of natural gas and clean-burning hydrogen. GE Gas Power, whose combustion turbine powers the station, will provide the blending technology and help execute the conversion.
No stranger to H2: GE Gas Power is already an industry leader in the use of hydrogen, which uses renewable electricity to split water molecules and produce oxygen and hydrogen. GE turbines have logged millions of hours of operation using hydrogen, and power facilities set to go online in Ohio and Australia will use blends of hydrogen and natural gas. Hydrogen could remove millions of tons of CO2 from the atmosphere just by the end of the decade. Green hydrogen specifically uses renewable electricity to split water molecules and produce oxygen and hydrogen.
Learn more about New York’s plans here.
1. Sea It Their Way
Civil-engineering researchers in Korea developed a new nanofiber membrane to desalinate seawater quickly and effectively.
2. You Be The Judge
A new “smart foam” material for robots gives them the ability to sense nearby objects before they come in contact.
3. Mix And Match
A University of Pennsylvania research team created a device that could produce mRNA vaccines 100 times faster than current methods.
Learn more here about this week’s Coolest Things On Earth.
“Actions speak louder than words”: Roger Martella explains how GE’s work in energy, healthcare and aviation can help to make the world more sustainable and improve the quality of life for people everywhere at the same time.
— QUOTE OF THE DAY —
“I feel really privileged to be part of GE at this pivotal moment for our people, communities and planet. I am one of 174,000 employees who get to contribute to these solutions, which are not only good for business but good for the planet. It’s a humbling opportunity. To be honest, we know the stakes are high, and we know that we have to succeed.”
— Roger Martella, GE's chief sustainability officer
Images: GE, GE Gas Power. Video and quote: GE.