Lord Hunt "Encouraged by Proven Technology Solutions to Power United Kingdom
with Cleaner Energy"
BRACKNELL, United Kingdom--(Business Wire)--
U.K. Energy Minister Lord Hunt today officially opened Europe`s first Smart Grid
Center at a ceremony held at GE Energy`s Bracknell headquarters. The new center
supports the United Kingdom`s effort to help consumers use energy more
efficiently and cut carbon emissions.
In his remarks at the event, Lord Hunt cited "the need for a concerted effort to
build a smarter electricity grid" and called on utilities, technology companies
and consumers "to work together with government for a smarter energy future."
The technologies that will improve energy efficiency for consumers across the
United Kingdom will be showcased at GE`s (NYSE: GE) new Smart Grid Center, the
first of its kind in Europe. The center offers visitors the first-ever
"generation to appliances" view of the smart grid, showing utilities, government
and consumers the many dramatic energy-management and carbon footprint-reducing
advances available today.
"With increasing global demand for energy and on the eve of the Copenhagen
climate change talks, now is the time to re-think how we deliver smarter,
cleaner and more efficient electricity," said Magued ElDaief, managing director
of GE Energy U.K. "In addition to participating in the global dialogue to plan a
better energy future, GE has been building and testing real-world solutions that
are ready to deploy today."
At the event, the government announced the publication of a smart grid policy
document and the results of a "2050 Vision document" drafted by the Energy
Networks Strategy Group.
"The U.K. government`s goal of installing smart meters in every home by 2020 is
a valuable step towards smarter energy usage," said ElDaief. "In the United
Kingdom, GE already provides grid management technologies for 13 of the 14
distribution network operators. Our solutions at the Smart Grid Center show how
we can further maximize performance from power plants to neighborhood
distribution and ultimately consumer usage in the home, the school and the
workplace.
"We invite utilities, scientists, government officials and engineers to visit
our Smart Grid Center and work together towards a cleaner, smarter, more
efficient energy future," concluded ElDaief.
For Editors:
Building the smart grid is widely accepted as crucial to meeting the United
Kingdom`s energy challenges and reducing our power system`s carbon footprint.
GE`s smart grid technologies range from Internet-like grid automation and
control and computerized outage isolation/repair to streamlined renewable energy
integration that makes distributed wind and solar power practical. GE`s smart
meters and communications platforms give consumers valuable tools to understand
and manage their energy use, empowering them make informed decisions that can
control costs.
By demonstrating technology solutions in a smart grid context, the center
reveals how advances can work together to improve the reliability and efficiency
across the energy system. GE Smart Grid Center visitors will experience the
vision of GE and collaborating companies for a new way of thinking about energy.
They also will learn that many of the technology advances that can have huge
reliability, efficiency and environmental impacts are ready to install and begin
saving today.
About GE
GE is a diversified global infrastructure, finance and media company that's
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.
GE serves the energy sector by developing and deploying technology that helps
make efficient use of natural resources. With 60,000 global employees and 2008
revenues of $38.6 billion, GE Energy www.ge.com/energy is one of the world`s
leading suppliers of power generation and energy delivery technologies. The
businesses that comprise GE Energy - GE Power & Water, GE Energy Services and GE
Oil & Gas - work together to provide integrated product and service solutions 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.
For more information, visit the company`s Web site at www.ge.com GE is
imagination at work.
GE
Neil Gazeley, +44-1223-449395
neil.gazeley@ge.com
or
Masto Public Relations
Gina DeRossi or Howard Masto
+1-518-786-6488
gina.derossi@mastopr.com
Copyright Business Wire 2009
