The GE Brief: March 18, 2021
HERE COMES THE SUN
Renewable energy is growing at great speed. By 2040, according to the International Energy Agency, wind and solar are expected to add 74% of net new generation capacity around the world. But what if they could expand even faster? What if you could store megawatts generated on a windy and sunny Sunday, when the power may not be needed, and release it on Monday morning as factories open for business? Add in smart software that acts as a traffic cop and sends power — either on the grid when demand is high or stores it in big batteries — and you can get closer to making renewables available on demand, regardless of the weather or the time of the day.
The next frontier: That’s the idea behind a big, new solar project in upstate New York. GE Renewable Energy announced it has been selected to build what is expected to become the largest hybrid solar energy storage system in the state. The owner and operator, Convergent Energy + Power, will place the system at three rural locations near Lake Ontario. It is planned to be capable of handling 123 megawatt-hours of energy, enough to supply the equivalent of 5,400 U.S. homes. “Hybrid is the next frontier in renewables,” says Mike Bowman, chief technology officer of GE’s Renewable Hybrids business. “It’s a paradigm change driven by technology development and market development.” Bowman says GE is in a position “to make a huge impact and be a leader in the space." “We’ve got the right horsepower, the right people, the capabilities, the connections and the brand. We’re excited about it.”
Click here to read more about the Convergent project.
MAJOR MILESTONES
2020 was a big year for marking milestones: It was the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, the 50th year in which Earth Day was celebrated, a quarter-century since the release of the kids’ movie “Toy Story” and — for good measure — the 2,500th anniversary of the Battle of Thermopylae. GE marked a few significant milestones as well; none featured Buzz Lightyear, but they did involve some pretty cool technology.
The long haul: When the Federal Aviation Administration gave the go-ahead on a giant new aircraft engine called the GE90 in 1995, it was the dawning of a new age in commercial aviation. Even before it took to the skies, everybody involved in the project understood what a big deal they were witnessing. Brian Rowe, who led GE Aviation at the time, said, “The GE90 will be the engine that will lead the way to the 21st century.” Turns out it wasn’t alone. Among the other technological advances celebrating landmark achievements in 2020 were the 7F turbine, one of the most successful gas turbines ever made; the John F. Welch Technology Center in Bengaluru, India; and GE Renewable Energy’s 2 MW onshore wind platform, which has logged a combined 20 gigawatts of installed capacity since its introduction in 2015.
Click here to read more about GE’s year of major milestones.
Follow Mikey Kay around the world as he tells the story behind the development of GE Healthcare’s pocket-sized ultrasound scanner, the Vscan Air™.
— QUOTE OF THE DAY —
“Hybrid is the next frontier in renewables. It’s a paradigm change driven by technology development and market development.”
—Mike Bowman, chief technology officer of GE Renewable Hybrids
Quote: GE Reports. Images: Getty Images, Sneha Pappu.