GE, U.S. Dairy Industry Shine Light on Potential of `Cow Power` in New York

GE to Showcase Jenbacher Biogas Engines that are Helping U.S. Dairy Farmers
Generate Renewable Electricity from Cow Manure Methane
SYRACUSE, N.Y.--(Business Wire)--
With the country working to develop cleaner, alternative energy sources, the
U.S. dairy industry with sponsorship from GE Energy is convening the New York
Dairy Power Summit in Syracuse, N.Y., this week. The summit brings together
experts in dairy production, engineering, environmental science, financing,
legislation and policy, and green energy business to accelerate opportunities
for U.S. dairy farmers to use cow manure methane biogas to generate reliable,
cost-effective renewable electricity.

Methane from manure is the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in
the fluid milk value chain while also representing a largely untapped source of
renewable energy.

According to the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets, the state
has 6,200 dairy farms with more than 600,000 dairy cows, but only 10,000 cows
are utilized in energy production through the use of 12 methane digesters that
generate 1.3 megawatts. Manure from approximately 2,500 cows can produce
electrical output of 500kW-enough to power roughly 200 homes.

"The Dairy Power Summit is designed to jumpstart the development of additional
digester projects in New York by making a bold commitment to action and
establishing an ambitious goal for anaerobic digester biogas-to-energy project
development through 2020 and committing to a strategy to reach those targets,"
said Roger George, general manager of GE Energy`s gas engine business for North
America. "New York`s dairy farmers have an opportunity to tap into a new source
of revenue that will simultaneously help the state increase its renewable energy
production and lower its greenhouse gas emissions."

Based on what the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy learns in New York at the
Dairy Power Summit, programs similar to the New York pilot project will be
rolled out across the nation.

During the conference, GE Energy will showcase its Jenbacher biogas engine
technology that utilizes digester methane biogas to generate electricity, which
is used to support the farm`s onsite power requirements, as well as the regional
grid, while helping to improve local air and water quality.

Coordinated by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, the event near Syracuse,
N.Y., will bring nearly 50 medium-to-large New York dairy farmers and well over
100 representatives from New York milk cooperatives, digester development
companies, financial institutions, academia and local, state and federal
governments to discuss ways to help New York increase the production of
agricultural biogas.

According to the Innovation Center, the summit is part of its Dairy Power
project, one of 12 projects that make up the U.S. dairy industry`s roadmap to
reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the entire dairy supply chain. The
Dairy Power project aims to establish a national model for using methane
digesters on dairy farms as a means of creating electricity and thereby reducing
a farm`s carbon footprint.

"We`ve estimated that this could generate $38 million in new revenue for dairy
farmers around the country and offset 2 million tons of carbon dioxide
equivalents (CO2e) annually by 2020," said Rick Naczi, executive vice president
at Dairy Management Inc., which manages the national dairy check off program on
behalf of the nation`s dairy farmers. "Increased adoption of anaerobic digesters
would not only expand local jobs and strengthen local economies, but move the
U.S. toward creating a more sustainable food system."

The dairy industry has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25
percent by 2020, which is equivalent to removing 1.25 million passenger cars off
the road every year. For more information, visit usdairy.com/sustainability.

Under New York`s "45 by 15" program, the state plans to receive 45 percent of
its energy through energy efficiency and the production of renewable energy,
including from digester biogas, by 2015.

About GE Energy

GE Energy (www.ge.com/energy) is one of the world`s leading suppliers of power
generation and energy delivery technologies, with 2008 revenue of $29.3 billion.
Based in Atlanta, Georgia, GE Energy works in all areas of the energy industry
including coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy; renewable resources such as
water, wind, solar and biogas; and other alternative fuels. Numerous GE Energy
products are certified under ecomagination, GE`s corporate-wide initiative to
aggressively bring to market new technologies that will help customers meet
pressing environmental challenges.

About GE

GE is a diversified global infrastructure, finance and media company that is
built to meet essential world needs. From energy, water, transportation and
health to access to money and information, GE serves customers in more than 100
countries and employs more than 300,000 people worldwide. For more information,
visit the company's Web site at http://www.ge.com. GE is Imagination at Work.

About The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy

The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy provides a forum for the dairy industry to
work together pre-competitively to address barriers and opportunities to foster
innovation and increase sales. The Innovation Center aligns the collective
resources of the industry to offer consumers nutritious dairy products and
ingredients, and promote the health of people, communities, the planet and the
industry. The Board of Directors for the Innovation Center represents leaders of
more than 30 key U.S. producer organizations, dairy cooperatives, processors,
manufacturers and brands. The Innovation Center is supported and staffed by
Dairy Management Inc. For more information, please
contactinnovationcenter@usdairy.com

GE Energy
Martina Streiter
+43 5244 600 2470
+43 676 8944 2470
martina.streiter@ge.com
or
Masto Public Relations
Ken Darling or Tom Murnane, +1-518-786-6488
kenneth.darling@ge.com
tom.murnane@mastopr.com

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