- First Waukesha Natural Gas-Fueled Engine was Manufactured in 1924
- 33,000th Engine was Shipped from GE’s Historic Waukesha Plant in Wisconsin
- Demand Continues to Grow for Gas Engines from GE’s Distributed Power Business
NEW ORLEANS-October 8, 2014-GE Power & Water’s Distributed Power business (NYSE: GE) today announced the milestone of shipping its 33,000th gas engine since first being produced 90 years ago in 1924. The milestone was celebrated in conjunction with GE’s presence at this year’s High Horsepower Summit conference in New Orleans.
GE’s gas engines have a long and successful history in power generation, gas compression and mechanical drive applications. The company’s current product portfolio includes Waukesha gas engines and Jenbacher gas engines for distributed power applications, and now, more than 33,000 units have been successfully shipped to customers across the globe. Most recently, GE announced that it has signed a contract on Sept. 30 to provide Texas-based Sky Global Partners, LLC with its most efficient gas engine, the J920 FleXtra, marking the largest order in North America for the company’s latest and biggest reciprocating engine technology.
GE’s history with natural gas began in 1899 when GE employee Charles Gordon Curtis patented the first gas turbine in the United States. The company’s history with reciprocating gas engines began 25 years later in 1924 when its first natural gas-fueled engine was manufactured by the Waukesha Motor Company in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The Waukesha business grew and expanded for decades, and today’s Waukesha gas engines continue to be used in oilfield and drill rig applications for gas compression and displacing older diesel-fueled generators in North America. The current engine portfolio ranges in output from 160 bhp-4,835 bhp.
Jenbacher gas engines also have a rich history dating back more than 50 years in the town of Jenbach, Austria. In 1957, the first Jenbacher gas engine was manufactured, and similar to the story of Waukesha, the Jenbacher portfolio grew throughout the 20th century. Today, Jenbacher gas engines range in power output from 0.3-10 megawatts (MW) and can be found in applications including combined heat and power (CHP), biomass gasification and oil and gas.
“Our gas engine technology has been successful in a wide range of applications,” said Lorraine Bolsinger, president & CEO of GE’s Distributed Power business during her keynote speech today at the High Horsepower Summit. “Our Jenbacher and Waukesha gas engines offer industry-leading efficiency and flexibility, and we are always looking to pursue the right opportunities based on what our customers want and need.”
The Distributed Power business was launched in February 2014 with an announced $1.4 billion investment from GE. According to GE’s recent white paper, “The Rise of Distributed Power,” distributed generation is predicted to grow 40 percent faster than global electricity demand between now and 2020. GE’s investment will help meet the world’s growing demand for on-site power systems that are easier to finance, faster to install and more efficient and reliable for customers.
About GE’s Distributed Power Business
GE Power & Water’s Distributed Power business is a leading provider of power equipment, engines and services focused on power generation at or near the point of use. Distributed Power’s product portfolio includes highly efficient industrial reciprocating engines and aeroderivative gas turbines that generate 100 kW to 100 MW of power for numerous industries globally. In addition, Distributed Power offers life cycle services and support for more than 37,000 distributed power products worldwide to help customers meet their business challenges-anywhere and anytime.
Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Distributed Power employs about 5,000 people around the world.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.
About GE Power & Water
GE Power & Water provides customers with a broad array of power generation, energy delivery and water process technologies to solve their challenges locally. Power & Water works in all areas of the energy industry including renewable resources such as wind and solar, biogas and alternative fuels; and coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy. The business also develops advanced technologies to help solve the world’s most complex challenges related to water availability and quality. Power & Water’s six business units include Distributed Power, Nuclear Energy, Power Generation Products, Power Generation Services, Renewable Energy and Water & Process Technologies. Headquartered in Schenectady, N.Y., Power & Water is GE’s largest industrial business.
Follow GE Power & Water on Twitter @GE_PowerWater and on LinkedIn. To hear the latest news and conversations for Distributed Power, use the Twitter hashtag #DistributedPower.
Tom Millas
GE Power
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+1 910 515 7873
+1 910 515 7873
Gina DeRossi
Soteryx Corporation
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Howard Masto
Masto Public Relations
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1-518-786-6488