Business News
GE investing $1.4 billion into new Distributed Power business

February 25, 2014 – GE vice-chair John G. Rice gathered with business and government officials in Jakarta, Indonesia, to launch GE Distributed Power, a new business that combines three product lines—aeroderivative gas turbines (Photo 1, page bottom), and Jenbacher and Waukesha gas engines (Photos 2 and 3, page bottom)—to better serve the distributed power space.

Also at the launch was Lorraine Bolsinger, leader of the new Distributed Power business, in which GE is investing $1.4 billion over four years “to help meet the world’s growing demand for onsite power systems that are easier to finance, faster to install and more efficient and reliable for customers”.

“The proliferation of distributed power systems is benefitting people and industries around the world because power is crucial to improving the quality of life and economic development,” said Bolsinger.

GE says distributed power has become increasingly popular in countries that are seeking more reliable, efficient energy options near the point of use—on or off the grid. In both developing and developed economies, industry is using distributed power to improve industrial and residential energy efficiency, notes GE, and ensure they have emergency power in the event of natural disasters and other unplanned outages. At the same time, the oil and gas industry relies heavily on onsite power to provide electricity to remote operations, as well as mechanical power to pump and compress gas.

GE Power & Water comprises six business units: Distributed Power, Nuclear Energy, Power Generation Products, Power Generation Services, Renewable Energy and Water & Process Technologies.