AEP’s gridSMART project is powered by innovation

General Electric
Tags: energy management, green manufacturing

General Electric's story yesterday turned the spotlight on GE’s R&D and the way in which sustained technology investments, even in an economic downturn, translate into new products with huge potential. As described in GE’s just-released online Annual Report, new product introductions are one side of the equation. The other is how technologies and solutions get deployed in the field by customers such as AEP, one of the largest investor-owned utilities. As Tom Jones, research program manager for AEP, says in the video below about their smart grid project: “GE really understands the customer. We understand the utility system — what it takes to supply customers. The two come together to make a really good team.” Adds Ray Hayes, advanced testing manager for AEP: “This is a great time for the American utility industry. There’s so much opportunity to look into new technologies. To be able to be part of the birth of the next generation of that grid, it’s very exciting.”

See the video:

http://www.gereports.com/powered-by-innovation-aeps-gridsmart-project/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+gereports%2Ffeed+%28GE+Reports%29

Smart grid solutions such as this are part of GE’s efforts to tackle “the stubborn problems of energy efficiency,” as GE chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt writes in this year’s Annual Report. “GE always takes a ‘systems approach’ to problem solving, applying innovative solutions to customer and societal needs,” he writes, and “technology is the key to a clean energy future. Last year, we made substantial investments to commercialize smart grid solutions, sodium and lithium battery technology, offshore wind, smart appliances and multi-fuel gas turbines.” Combined with investments in a “new generation of nuclear reactors and clean coal technology,” the innovations together will not only provide comprehensive solutions to customers — from giant utilities to individual homeowners — they’ll also “facilitate energy security and job creation,” he writes.

* Learn more about AEP gridSMART
* Read “Getting smarter about the smart grid” on GE Reports
* Watch GE Reports’ videos about our smart grid research labs
* Read “Introducing the zero energy home” on GE Reports
* Read “Hoo-rah! Marines fire up GE’s smart grid technology”
* Hear about the smart grid straight from GE scientists on their blog
* Read about our smart grid work in NY and NJ
* Learn about GE’s smart grid efforts in Florida, Oklahoma and Houston
* Read about GE's research with the Department of Energy