100,000th Refrigerator Recycled as Part of GE Agreement with Appliance Recycling Centers of America

Press release:

07 September 2012

100,000th Refrigerator Recycled as Part of GE Agreement with Appliance Recycling Centers of America

 

• 100,000 refrigerators and freezers have now made their way through the revolutionary UNTHA Recycling Technology system
• Innovative recycling system reduces landfill waste and greenhouse gas and ozone-depleting substance emissions
• Initiative has diverted 5.5 million pounds of material from U.S. landfills[1]

LOUISVILLE, Ky., — September 7, 2012 — (NYSE: GE) — This week, GE, in collaboration with Appliance Recycling Centers of America (ARCA), reached a milestone of 100,000 refrigerators and freezers recycled through North America’s only UNTHA Recycling Technology (URT) System. ARCA’s (Nasdaq: ARCI) URT machine, a unique 40-foot-tall engineering marvel, recovers approximately 95 percent of the insulating foam in refrigerators and freezers,[1] reducing landfill waste and greenhouse gas and ozone depleting substance emissions.

As a result of this milestone, an estimated 5.5 million pounds of refrigerator and freezer material has been diverted from U.S. landfills.[1] Eighty-nine percent of the material has been recovered for reuse for new products, and 11 percent is being used as fuel in cement manufacturing.[1]

“This achievement represents a significant advance in how appliances are recycled in the U.S.,” said Brian Conners, president and COO of ARCA Advanced Processing (AAP). “As a result of our work with GE Appliances, AAP has made great strides toward achieving our goal of zero landfill appliance recycling.”

Roughly 9 million refrigerators are disposed of annually in the U.S., and only a fraction of those have the insulating foam in their walls and doors recycled. While 90 percent of used refrigerators in the U.S. are shredded for their metal, the remaining foam and other materials typically go to a landfill.[2]If the foam from all of those refrigerators was processed through the URT system, the greenhouse gas emissions avoided would be equivalent to the annual CO₂-e emissions of more than 2.4 million cars on U.S. roads.[3]

How the GE Appliance Recycling Initiative WorksAs part of GE’s agreement with ARCA, when qualifying consumers purchase a new appliance from a participating retailer in the 12-state region, their old unit will be taken away when their new one is delivered. The old unit will then be transported to the Philadelphia-based AAP center for recycling. Consumers can find a participating Retailer in their area atwww.geappliances.com/refrigerator-recycling.

Economic Impact
Integral to GE’s agreement with ARCA is a commitment to supply used appliance volumes from a 12-state region into AAP’s recycling center. ARCA, in turn, has invested in proven appliance recycling technology and has created more than 50 green jobs in Pennsylvania proving how market-based solutions such as these can drive economic success. This initiative demonstrates the potential for future growth in foam recycling technology throughout the U.S. industry.

A Cradle-to-Cradle Appliance ApproachGE takes a cradle-to-cradle approach to managing the life cycle of an appliance, from the manufacturing of refrigerators with more environmentally sustainable insulating material to responsible end-of-life disposal. Steel recovered from recycled appliances at AAP’s recycling center is reused as steel deck bottom plates in new GE locomotives. GE Appliances is the only appliance manufacturer to partner collectively in four voluntary Environmental Protection Agency programs: ENERGY STAR®; Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD); WasteWise, an initiative focused on waste reduction and saving environmental resources while reducing emissions; and SmartWay®, a program designed to help lower transportation-related emissions.

The partnership with these programs is consistent with the company’s ecomagination^SM initiative to deploy solutions for today’s energy and environmental challenges.

"One year ago we helped welcome the country's first fully automated URT System facility," said Sarah Dunham, director of EPA's Office of Atmospheric Programs. "GE Appliances' continued success as a partner in EPA's Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) program helps protect the Earth's ozone layer, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and divert materials from landfills."

A long-time ENERGY STAR partner, GE offers approximately 500 ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances, which deliver efficiency and cost savings to customers over product life.[4]

About Appliance Recycling Centers of America
ARCA (www.ARCAInc.com), one of the nation’s largest recyclers of major household appliances for the energy conservation programs of electric utilities, currently provides services for more than 175 utility programs in the U.S. and Canada. Toxic chemicals and environmentally harmful materials such as ozone-depleting refrigerants, PCBs, mercury and oil are carefully recovered in the decommissioning process for destruction or disposal, preventing them from contaminating soil, air and water resources. The company is also the exclusive North American distributor for UNTHA Recycling Technology (URT), a materials recovery system for household refrigeration appliances.

About GE AppliancesGE Appliances is at the forefront of building innovative, energy-efficient appliances that improve people’s lives. GE Appliances’ products include refrigerators, freezers, cooking products, dishwashers, washers, dryers, air conditioners, water filtration systems and water heaters. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information on GE Appliances, visit www.ge.com/appliances.

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[1] Based on ARCA Advanced Processing letter dated December 2010 re: PUR recovery rates

[2] Based on results from a survey undertaken by AHAM as reported in UNEP 2005 and recently reported by ICF International in April 2010 report

[3] Based on Stevenson Company data and calculations using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency global warming potential (GWP) equivalents: http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/calculator.html

[4] Compared to non-ENERGY STAR appliances

GE’s Newest Refrigerator Filter is First to Remove Trace Pharmaceuticals from Water and Ice*

Press release:

24 July 2012

GE’s Newest Refrigerator Filter is First to Remove Trace Pharmaceuticals from Water and Ice*

 

• 
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• New French door refrigerator filter removes 98 percent of five trace pharmaceuticals from water and ice*
• Consumers rate the protection of their water supply as their number-one environmental concern^†

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — July 24, 2012 — (NYSE: GE) —Think the cleanest, clearest, most contaminant-free water has to come from a bottle? Think again. GE offers the most advanced water filtration system in the industry as part of its recently launched French door refrigerators. The first-of-its-kind water filtration system has been tested and verified by an independent third party to remove 98 percent of five trace pharmaceuticals, including ibuprofen, atenolol, fluoxetine, progesterone and trimethoprim, from water and ice.*

According to a 2010 study conducted by The Stevenson Co. on behalf of GE, consumers rated the protection of their water supply as their number-one environmental concern. In fiscal year 2010,

10 percent of all community water systems—serving more than 23 million people—sold water to consumers that violated at least one health-based EPA standard.^‡ And, an Associated Press investigation of tests conducted by water suppliers all over the country found low concentrations of dozens of pharmaceuticals in drinking water—including antibiotics, aspirin, blood pressure medications and antidepressants.^‡

Among the reasons pharmaceuticals end up in our water supply is consumers flushing them down the toilet without realizing where they might end up. Or, if products are tossed in the trash, they often wind up in landfills, where they can seep into groundwater—and ultimately can come through water taps.^‡

“Water treatment plants do a great job of cleaning our water, but they can’t always filter out all contaminants, and trace pharmaceuticals are left in the drinking water that comes into our homes,” said John Boyd, refrigeration marketing manager for GE Appliances. “Through advanced technology, the water filters from our new GE^® French door refrigerator remove 98 percent of contaminants and deliver cleaner, clearer, easily accessible drinking water.”

Easy Access and ReplacementIn addition to delivering cleaner water to consumers, the new filters also are easy to remove and replace. The French door refrigerators’ water filter is conveniently and newly located on the door panel, allowing for quick and easy filter replacement in the GE Profile™ and Café™ models.

When it comes to replacing the filter, GE realizes consumers are busy and the last thing they’re going to remember on their looming to-do list is ordering a water filter. To help ensure filtered water from the refrigerator all year round, GE offers the SmartOrder program.

SmartOrder allows consumers to set up automatic reorders so they receive water filters every six months without having to physically go out to the store or go online to purchase one. They simply input their model, sign up for the program and their credit card is charged every six months as a new filter is sent, free of shipping charges. In the future, reordering will be even easier with a setting that allows consumers to receive notifications on their smartphones when it comes time to replace a filter.

Not sure which water filter is right for your refrigerator? GE offers a simple refrigerator filter finder tool, which guides consumers through easy steps to help them find the right filter for their refrigerator.

Delivering Freshness Where Fresh Can’t Be FoundTo support its mission of delivering freshness, GE's French door refrigerator is part of a campaign journeying to places where fresh food and water aren’t always readily found. GE’s “Freshpedition” campaign began when GE loaded a French door refrigerator onto the back of a truck and traveled more than 2,000 miles to bring fresh food and water to wildlife biologist Ron Thompson in the field where he lives primarily on canned food for months on end. View his reaction and other Freshpedition webisodes atwww.freshpedition.com.

Pricing and AvailabilityWater filtration systems are available on all GE, GE Café and GE Profile-branded French door refrigerators. The GE French door refrigerators are available at retailers nationwide. The estimated retail price ranges from $1,699 to $2,999.^§

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter or check out our website for more information Friend GE Appliances on Facebook to view how-to videos, learn about new GE appliances and join in the discussion with other GE appliance owners. Join today and follow @GE_Appliances on Twitter or just locate detailed information about our products at www.geappliances.com.

About GE AppliancesGE Appliances is at the forefront of building innovative, energy-efficient appliances that improve people’s lives. GE Appliances’ products include refrigerators, freezers, cooking products, dishwashers, washers, dryers, air conditioners, water filtration systems and water heaters. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information on GE Appliances, visit www.ge.com/appliances.

* Not all pharmaceuticals may be present in your water.

† 2010 study conducted by The Stevenson Co. on behalf of GE.

‡ http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/womens-health/water-safety.

§ Retailers set their own prices.

Italian City Upgrades Wastewater Treatment Plant with GE Advanced Technology Making It the Second Largest Municipal MBR Plant in Italy

Press release:

17 July 2012

Italian City Upgrades Wastewater Treatment Plant with GE Advanced Technology Making It the Second Largest Municipal MBR Plant in Italy

 

• Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Honors the Inauguration of the Facility
• Tourist Region on Mediterranean Sea Was Facing Negative Environmental Consequences Prior to Upgrade with GE ZeeWeed* Ultrafiltration Technology
• Newly Expanded Wastewater Treatment Plant Increased Capacity to Serve 140,000 Residents in the Savona Province

LOANO, ITALY—July 17, 2012—Located on the Mediterranean Sea in a seasonal tourist region known for its pristine beaches, the area around Loano, Italy, had an increased need for wastewater treatment that ledServizi Ambientali SPA to expand its existing wastewater treatment plant. The upgraded facility features GE’s (NYSE: GE) advanced membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology and now is the second largest municipal MBR plant in Italy. The facility entered service in July 2012.

A number of individuals participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony today to honor the inauguration of the upgraded wastewater treatment plant located in the town of Borghetto Santo Spirito. Local officials Claudio Burlando, president of the Liguria region, and Angelo Vaccarezza, president of the province of Savona, as well as representatives from GE and Servizi Ambientali SPA attended the celebration.

This area is located in the Province of Savona, in the Italian region of Liguria, and is approximately 60 kilometers west of Genoa. The membrane plant was first constructed three years ago to initially treat 7 million liters per day (MLD) or 7,000 m³/d. With the new expansion, using GE ZeeWeed* technology, the wastewater treatment plant quadruples the flow and serves approximately 140,000 residents in the towns of Borghetto S. Spirito, Loano, Toirano, Boissano, Balestrino and Ceriale. The expanded plant handles a maximum wastewater flow of about 35 MLD or 35,000 m³/d, roughly the amount of water required to fill 14 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

“Our wastewater treatment plant went from simple primary treatment to advanced biological processes with membranes allowing us to reach high-level effluent quality. It is located on the seacoast and discharges into a sensitive ecosystem in a tourist region,” said Giovanni Paganelli, chief executive officer, Servizi Ambientali SPA. “Our newly upgraded plant now results in the best effluent water quality ever achieved, enabling us to serve a larger population and at the same time, diverting the cleaned wastewater for non-potable reuse.”

Under the contract, GE supplied Servizi Ambientali SPA with MBR technology and equipment featuring ZeeWeed 500D reinforced, hollow-fiber membranes, which have been proven in more than two decades of wastewater treatment and water reuse. ZeeWeed 500 technology is an advanced filtration technology that separates particles, bacteria and viruses from water or wastewater. Nearly 1,000 plants worldwide use this technology to produce superior quality drinking water and to meet or exceed stringent wastewater treatment and water reuse standards.

The upgrade of the plant’s wastewater treatment processes with the GE MBR technology features four ZeeWeed 500D trains, 24 cassettes and 1,152 modules. This expands the plant’s treatment capacity and improves the region’s water quality. Prior to the upgrade, the region was facing issues with poor treatment of sewage resulting in negative consequences for the environment and residents.

“Governments and municipalities continue to look for ways to properly treat wastewater and possibly reuse it for non-potable purposes, particularly in highly tourist regions such as Loano and Liguria. Discharging effluents with high quality characteristics obtained through ultrafiltration technologies, such as GE’s ZeeWeed, is essential to preserve the environment,” said Jeff Connelly, vice president, engineered systems—water and process technologies for GE Power & Water.

Click here for a video on the Servizi Ambientali SPA wastewater treatment plant.

* Trademark of the General Electric Company, may be registered in one or more countries.

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.

GE Energy works connecting people and ideas everywhere to create advanced technologies for powering a cleaner, more productive world. With more than 100,000 employees in over 100 countries, our diverse portfolio of product and service solutions and deep industry expertise help our customers solve their challenges locally. We serve the energy sector with technologies in such areas as natural gas, oil, coal and nuclear energy; wind, solar, biogas and water processing; energy management; and grid modernization. We also offer integrated solutions to serve energy- and water-intensive industries such as mining, metals, marine, petrochemical, food & beverage and unconventional fuels.

Follow GE’s water business on Twitter @GE_Water.

PUB Singapore Upgrades Changi Water Reclamation Plant with GE Advanced Technology

Press release:

03 July 2012

PUB Singapore Upgrades Changi Water Reclamation Plant with GE Advanced Technology

 

• GE to Supply EPC UES Holdings Pte Ltd with ZeeWeed* Advanced Membrane Bioreactor Technology
• Part of Singapore’s Master Plan for Water Sustainability over the next 100 Years, the Changi Facility is at the Heart of Singapore’s Deep Tunnel Sewerage System
• ZeeWeed is an Advanced Filtration Technology that Separates Particles, Bacteria and Viruses from Water and Wastewater

Singapore International Water WeekBooth #PO2
SINGAPORE—July 3, 2012—GE (NYSE: GE) today announced at Singapore International Water Week 2012 that it will supply PUB, Singapore’s national water agency, with its advanced membrane bioreactor (MBR) wastewater-treatment technology for an expansion of PUB’s Changi Water Reclamation Plant. GE will supply its ZeeWeed* technology to engineering, procurement and construction company UES Holdings Pte Ltd (UESH) for the Changi upgrade.

The Singapore-based Changi Water Reclamation Plant was first constructed in 2007 to initially treat 800 MLD or 800,000 m³/d. Once operational, the expanded plant will be able to handle a maximum wastewater flow of about 860 MLD or 860,000 m³/d.
Under the contract with UESH, GE will supply the Changi Water Reclamation Plant with MBR technology and equipment featuring ZeeWeed 500reinforced, hollow-fiber membranes, which have more than two decades of wastewater treatment and water reuse experience. GE also will provide cassettes, engineering design and commissioning support.

“Using GE’s advanced ZeeWeed MBR technology, the expanded Changi Water Reclamation Plant will provide superior effluent quality for both direct discharge to the environment or as feed water to Singapore’s NEWater program,” Johnson Tang, managing director, UESH.

As part of Singapore’s master plan for water sustainability over the next 100 years, the Changi Water Reclamation Plant is at the heart of Singapore’s Deep Tunnel Sewerage System (DTSS), a superhighway for collecting used water. The conceptual plan for the DTSS consists of two large deep tunnels that span the island conveying wastewater to two centralized wastewater treatment facilities. Phase 1 of the DTSS system was completed in 2008 and conveys wastewater from North and East Singapore to the Changi Water Reclamation Plant. It comprises a 48 km long deep tunnel sewer running from Kranji to Changi, a centralized water reclamation plant at Changi, two 5 km long deep sea outfall pipes and 60 km of link sewer.

The treated used water from the Changi Water Reclamation Plant will then be discharged into the sea through deep sea outfall pipes or channeled to the Changi NEWater factory on the rooftop of the reclamation plant where it is further purified through advanced membrane technologies into NEWater, Singapore’s own brand of reclaimed water.

ZeeWeed 500 technology is an advanced filtration technology that separates particles, bacteria and viruses from water or wastewater. Nearly 1,000 plants worldwide use this technology to produce superior quality drinking water and to meet or exceed stringent wastewater treatment and water reuse standards.

Combined with the Ulu Pandan Water Reclamation Plant, the expanded Changi Water Reclamation Plant will be GE’s second MBR plant for Singapore’s PUB. Counting drinking water treatment and wastewater treatment, the Changi Water Reclamation Plant expansion will be GE’s fifth ultrafiltration/microfiltration membrane project with Singapore’s PUB. GE will ship the equipment to Singapore in the second and third quarter of 2013, and the expanded Changi Water Reclamation Plant is expected to be operational during the third or fourth quarter of 2013.

“PUB is one of the most influential public water agencies in the world and is known as an innovator that stays on the cutting edge of technology. With today’s announcement, GE’s ZeeWeed technology will be in two of Singapore’s water reclamation plants,” said Jeff Connelly, vice president, engineered systems—water and process technologies for GE Power & Water. “MBR systems are considered the best available technology for virtually all wastewater treatment applications and GE’s ZeeWeed MBR systems are the most widely used, reinforced, hollow-fiber ultrafiltration technologies available today.”

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.

GE Energy works connecting people and ideas everywhere to create advanced technologies for powering a cleaner, more productive world. With more than 100,000 employees in over 100 countries, our diverse portfolio of product and service solutions and deep industry expertise help our customers solve their challenges locally. We serve the energy sector with technologies in such areas as natural gas, oil, coal and nuclear energy; wind, solar, biogas and water processing; energy management; and grid modernization. We also offer integrated solutions to serve energy- and water-intensive industries such as mining, metals, marine, petrochemical, food & beverage and unconventional fuels.

Follow GE Energy on Twitter @GE_Energy.

* Trademark of the General Electric Company, may be registered in one or more countries.

GE, Dubai Aluminum’s System Modernization Project Receives Industry Accolades at the Aluminum Summit

Press release:

12 June 2012

GE, Dubai Aluminum’s System Modernization Project Receives Industry Accolades at the Aluminum Summit

 

• Initiative Wins “Best Brownfield Technology” Category of American Metal Market’s Awards for Aluminum Excellence
• GE Metals Solutions Features Power, Water, Automation and Electrical Distribution Solutions for Metals Manufacturers at Major Aluminum Industry Conference

NEW YORK — June 12, 2012 — Today at the second-annual Aluminum Summit, GE (NYSE: GE) showcased the power generation and energy management system modernization project the company recently completed for Dubai Aluminum (DUBAL). The success of this initiative won DUBAL and GE top honors in the “Best Brownfield Technology” category of American Metal Market’s Awards for Aluminum Excellence.

The 2012 Awards for Aluminum Excellence program recognizes the most innovative companies in the field across multiple categories, and winners are selected by a judging panel made up of leaders in the aluminum industry. The project recognized at this year’s awards began in 2007, when GE and DUBAL launched a major energy- and cost-savings initiative:

DUBAL owns and operates one of the world's largest single-site aluminium smelters, and its smelter complex in Jebel Ali can produce more than 960,000 tons of quality, hot metal aluminum each year. Further, with an on-site generating capacity exceeding 2,500 MW, it supplies all of its own electric power. The electricity needed to power these operations is a substantial expense – fully one-third of the cost of aluminum production. To maintain its quality standards and to continue growing while becoming more competitive around the globe, DUBAL needed a way to significantly reduce power costs.

To do so, DUBAL enlisted GE’s help to implement a complete overhaul of its power management and generation operations. The project featured the installation of GE’s XA-21 SCADA energy management system and an update of its GE Frame 9B and 9E turbines. GE and DUBAL have realized the following results since the beginning of the collaboration: 

• A 22.69 percent increase in output by upgrading five GE 9B gas turbines. This added 75 million watts to existing capability, sufficient to power over 60,000 homes
• A 10.44 percent improvement on heat rate, saving the company $4 million in fuel cost savings annually
• Efficient management of more than 2,350 MW, enough to power 1.8 million homes
• A system availability rate of >98.98%
• A savings on electricity expenses to recover project costs within three years

Global aluminum production continues to grow across the globe. In the U.S., for instance, the demand for aluminium will grow dramatically over the next three to five years as the nation’s automotive industry shifts to lighter materials to boost fuel efficiency and to reduce emissions in the face of stricter regulations. China remains the largest producer and consumer of aluminium, with no sign of slowing in the immediate future, according to a recent report from Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Additionally, the Middle East is forecasted to produce almost one-fifth of the world’s aluminum by 2020 following a $20 billion spending program on new smelters and expansions of existing capacities. 

“Even in these bullish markets, our customers in the aluminum industry continue to come to GE to develop and implement innovative solutions to cut operational costs,” said Keiran Coulton, president of GE Global Industries and general manager of GE Metals Solutions. “With the price of energy at its highest level in the past decade and electricity accounting for nearly one-third of aluminium production costs, reducing energy consumption is a top priority. Our work with DUBAL demonstrates how GE is at work with aluminum producers, implementing effective solutions and integrating new technologies to improve their overall energy efficiency.” 

During this week’s Aluminum Summit at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York, GE Metals Solutions is showcasing its innovative solutions in the areas of power, water, automation and electrical distribution. For more information on GE Metals Solutions portfolio of products, please visitwww.ge-metals.com. 

And, to learn more about the Dubai Aluminum success story, please visithttp://www.ge-spark.com/spark/dubal. 

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. 

GE Energy works connecting people and ideas everywhere to create advanced technologies for powering a cleaner, more productive world. With more than 100,000 employees in over 100 countries, our diverse portfolio of product and service solutions and deep industry expertise help our customers solve their challenges locally. We serve the energy sector with technologies in such areas as natural gas, oil, coal and nuclear energy; wind, solar, biogas and water processing; energy management; and grid modernization. We also offer integrated solutions to serve energy- and water-intensive industries such as mining, metals, marine, petrochemical, food & beverage and unconventional fuels. 

Follow GE Energy on Twitter @GE_Energy.

GE Delivers Advanced Water Treatment Technology to Support Bahrain’s Oil and Gas Industry

Press release:

12 June 2012

GE Delivers Advanced Water Treatment Technology to Support Bahrain’s Oil and Gas Industry

 

Bahrain Petroleum Company Selects GE’s ZeeWeed* Membrane Bioreactor System to Treat Complex Wastewater from Oil Refinery Operations

MANAMA, BAHRAIN—June 12, 2012—The Bahrain Petroleum Company B.S.C. (BAPCO) has chosen GE (NYSE: GE) to design and supply a membrane bioreactor (MBR) system for its oil refinery wastewater treatment plant in Sitra, near Manama. The project and the GE-supplied advanced water treatment technology will support BAPCO’s environmental leadership efforts to achieve the stringent wastewater quality levels specified by Bahrain’s General Directorate of Environment and Wildlife Protection regulation for wastewater discharge into the Gulf.

“BAPCO is committed to managing its precious water resources wisely,” said Mr. A. Jabbar A. Karim, acting general manager, major engineering projects division, BAPCO. “With this project, GE is supporting us to realize our goals of minimizing the environmental impact from our refining operations, while safeguarding the refinery’s capital equipment at the same time.”

Wastewater from refineries is complex and requires extensive treatment. The BAPCO refinery, one of the largest in the Middle East and the oldest in the Gulf Cooperation Council union, refines more than 250,000 barrels of crude daily. GE’s ZeeWeed* technology will handle a maximum wastewater flow of about 24 million liters/day, roughly the amount of water required to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool[1], from the refinery and Sitra tank farm.

“The BAPCO wastewater treatment plant is another example in GE’s long history of supporting customers in Bahrain with innovative energy technology—in this case, advanced water solutions—to meet their toughest operational challenges,“ said Joseph Anis, president and CEO, GE Energy for the Middle East. “We are committed to continue delivering advanced solutions that increase the supply of clean water necessary and meeting the environmental commitments for the expansion of Bahrain’s economy.”

At the heart of the system is GE’s ZeeWeed MBR technology. GE ZeeWeed technology sets the standard for hollow-fiber ultrafiltration technology combined with biological treatment, which is the preferred way to handle complex wastewater because it produces consistently high-quality effluent suitable for discharge or reuse application. GE will supply a ZeeWeed MBR system consisting of four MBR trains, each with 10 membrane cassettes containing ZeeWeed 500 rugged, reinforced membrane modules. It is being supplied under contract with EPC contractor GS Engineering & Construction and is expected to be operational in the fourth quarter of 2012.

GE also will design the MBR system and provide support during its first five years of operation. GE’s water and process technologies business also has supplied water-treatment chemicals for the BAPCO refinery.

The Middle East is an important region for GE’s water business, and the company has regional centers of excellence in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, for both research and manufacturing. GE and Miahona signed a memorandum of understanding, which provides a framework for promoting the use of advanced membrane technology such as membrane bioreactors in water reuse and the pursuit of wastewater treatment, wastewater reuse and zero liquid discharge projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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.

GE Energy works connecting people and ideas everywhere to create advanced technologies for powering a cleaner, more productive world. With more than 100,000 employees in over 100 countries, our diverse portfolio of product and service solutions and deep industry expertise help our customers solve their challenges locally. We serve the energy sector with technologies in such areas as natural gas, oil, coal and nuclear energy; wind, solar, biogas and water processing; energy management; and grid modernization. We also offer integrated solutions to serve energy- and water-intensive industries such as mining, metals, marine, petrochemical, food & beverage and unconventional fuels.

Follow GE Energy on Twitter @GE_Energy.

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[1]http://www.sydneywater.com.au/Publications/Factsheets/DroughtAndRainfall.pdf

*Trademark of the General Electric Company; may be registered in one or more countries.

Drink up Savings and Health Benefits with GE’s Refrigerator Water Filter Offer

Press release:

06 June 2012

Drink up Savings and Health Benefits with GE’s Refrigerator Water Filter Offer

 

• 
•  View Details

 

• Water filters should be changed every six months to ensure clean, clear drinking water
• Coupon code for 10 percent off plus free shipping on select GE^®water filters starts June 6

LOUISVILLE, Ky., — June 6, 2012 — (NYSE: GE) — From June 6 through July 9, GE is offering a 10-percent-off, plus free-shipping coupon code on its replacement water filters. When the temperature outside increases, so does the importance of staying hydrated.¹ To help consumers stay cool as the weather heats up, filtered water from the refrigerator is a convenient and cost-effective solution.

“Having fresh, pure water is one of the top concerns consumers have as we conduct our overall appliance research,” said Laura Edwards, marketing manager for GE Appliances. “GE^® water filters’ carbon core removes 15 contaminants from drinking water, but over time, the carbon core fills up and needs to be replaced. That’s why it is important to change refrigerator water filters every six months.”

Helpful remindersTo ensure filtered water all year round, consumers can sign up forSmartOrder when they redeem the water filter coupon code online. The SmartOrder program allows consumers to set up automatic reorders so they receive water filters, with free shipping, on a convenient schedule.

And, as consumers drink water to stay healthy, they can help the environment stay healthy through GE’s used water filter recycling program. GE is the only appliance manufacturer that offers water filter recycling—consumers simply mail back* their used water filter and GE takes care of the rest.

Not sure which water filter is right for your refrigerator? GE offers a simple refrigerator filter finder tool, which guides consumers through easy steps to help them find the right filter for their refrigerator.

Coupon code details**To redeem, enter the coupon code “WATER2” during checkout in GE’s onlineGE Water Filtration Parts and Accessories Store. Consumers can also receive the discount when ordering over the phone at 877-959-8688. The code is available from June 6 through July 9, 2012.

Pricing and availabilityMore information on GE water filters can be found online at Water Filtration Parts and Accessories from GE.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter or check out our website for more information Friend GE Appliances on Facebook to view how-to videos, learn about new GE appliances and join in the discussion with other GE appliance owners. Join today and follow @GE_Appliances on Twitter or just locate detailed information about our products at www.geappliances.com.

About GE AppliancesGE Appliances is at the forefront of building innovative, energy-efficient appliances that improve people’s lives. GE Appliances’ products include refrigerators, freezers, cooking products, dishwashers, washers, dryers, air conditioners, water filtration systems and water heaters. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information on GE Appliances, visit www.ge.com/appliances.

1. The Mayo Clinic, Diseases and Conditions: Dehydration,http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dehydration/DS00561/DSECTION=risk-factors.

*Consumer is responsible for shipping costs associated with mailing used water filter.

**Coupon code promotion available on only MWF, MWF3PK, MSWF, MSWF3PK, GSWF, and GSWF3PK models. Offer excludes tax.

GE’s Ultrafiltration Technology to Help Ekaterinburg Water Utility Reduce Usage of Freshwater Supplies

News release:

06 June 2012

GE’s Ultrafiltration Technology to Help Ekaterinburg Water Utility Reduce Usage of Freshwater Supplies

 

• Water Utility to Use GE’s ZeeWeed* 500D Ultrafiltration Membrane Technology to Boost Treatment Plant’s Water Recovery Capacity
• Project to Reduce Raw Water Consumption in Russia’s Fourth Largest City
• GE’s ZeeWeed Ultrafiltration System to Begin Operating in 2012

MOSCOW, RUSSIA—June 6, 2012—With water conservation remaining a key goal of efforts to modernize Russia’s water supply infrastructure, GE (NYSE: GE) today announced the Ekaterinburg Municipal Unitary Enterprise Vodokanal utility has selected GE’s ZeeWeed* 500D ultrafiltration membrane technology to boost the water recovery capacity of its existing water treatment plant.

The administrative center of the Urals region, Ekaterinburg is Russia’s fourth-largest city with a population of 1.4 million. GE’s ultrafiltration membrane system will allow the Vodokanal treatment plant to recover 55,000 cubic meters per day (m³/day) of water, an equivalent of more than 950 Olympic-sized hockey rinks, for reuse to backwash the conventional filters in the facility. The new ZeeWeed system will begin commercial operation next year.

Adequate supplies of clean water are critical for Ekaterinburg, a major Russian industrial center that is home to extensive manufacturing operations that serve the defense, instrument-making, metallurgy, printing, opto-mechanical products and food sectors. The city also is a transport and logistics hub for the Trans-Siberian Railway.

In March 2012, a published news story underscored the importance of investing in water treatment by reporting that Russia’s housing sector had overtaken the country’s agricultural, chemical and other industrial sectors as the main source of water pollution, according to the director of water at the Russian Academy of Sciences.

“Water is a critical resource, and our strategy is to use proven and reliable technologies to conserve and reuse as much of it as possible,” said Vadim Kuznetsov, technical director of Ekaterinburg Municipal Unitary Enterprise Vodokanal. “GE has a long history in Russia as a supplier of reliable and efficient equipment, and its advanced water filtration technology will help us do that.”

“GE’s focus is to provide customers with the tools they need to address their most important challenges,” said Chris Jeffrey, regional director CEE & Russia/CIS, water and process technologies for GE Power & Water. ”This important project will minimize the treatment plant’s environmental impacts by reducing both its dependence on freshwater supplies as well as water discharges.”

Ultrafiltration is the use of a pressure-driven barrier to the suspended solids, bacteria, viruses, endotoxins and other pathogens in water to produce treated water with very high purity and low silt density. It serves as a pretreatment for surface water, seawater and biologically treated municipal effluent before reverse osmosis and other membrane water-treatment systems. Ultrafiltration also is used in industry to separate suspended solids from solution. GE’s ZeeWeed ultrafiltration membranes offer an unmatched combination of ultrafiltration performance, energy efficiency, fast installation, ease of operation and reliability.

The project announcement was made during ECWATECH 2012, an international water and wastewater technology trade conference that is being held at the IEC Crocus Congress Centre in Moscow June 5-8, 2012. For more information about GE’s energy and water technology portfolio, please visit GE at Hall 13 Booth F1.

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.

GE Energy works connecting people and ideas everywhere to create advanced technologies for powering a cleaner, more productive world. With more than 100,000 employees in over 100 countries, our diverse portfolio of product and service solutions and deep industry expertise help our customers solve their challenges locally. We serve the energy sector with technologies in such areas as natural gas, oil, coal and nuclear energy; wind, solar, biogas and water processing; energy management; and grid modernization. We also offer integrated solutions to serve energy- and water-intensive industries such as mining, metals, marine, petrochemical, food & beverage and unconventional fuels.

Follow GE Energy on Twitter @GE_Energy.

About GE in Russia
GE Energy has been active in Russia since the early 1900s, supplying equipment and services to develop the country’s energy infrastructure. Today, more than 400 gas turbines, 65 steam turbines, 700 compressors and over 600 units of other equipment including air coolers, condensers, gas separators and pumps produced by GE Energy and GE Oil & Gas have been installed in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States.

In 2010, GE opened the Energy Technology Center, a service center with the focus on service of the installed base. In September 2011, GE signed a joint venture agreement with INTER RAO UES and UEC to localize manufacturing, sales and service of GE’s 6FA heavy-duty gas turbines in Rybinsk, Russia. Since March 2008, GE’s MS5002E gas turbines have been manufactured, tested and sold in Russia as ‘LADOGA 32’ units under licensing agreement between GE and REP Holding. 

GE Fabric Filtration Seminars Provide Techniques to Help Plants Save Money, Boost Reliability and Improve Dust Collection Performance

Press release:

06 June 2012

GE Fabric Filtration Seminars Provide Techniques to Help Plants Save Money, Boost Reliability and Improve Dust Collection Performance

 

• Real-World Tips from GE to Help Maximize Collector Efficiency
• Learn How to Prepare for Unplanned Events, Choose the Best Filtration Media

KANSAS CITY, MO.—June 6, 2012—Offering insights that can help plants save money through improved dust collection system performance and reliability, GE (NYSE: GE) fabric filtration experts will hold a two-day seminar for plant managers and engineers, maintenance supervisors and technicians, procurement and environmental leaders. The seminar is June 12-13, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo.

“The workshop’s takeaways are practical tips and techniques and a better understanding of how dust collectors work as an integral part of an operation,” says Corinne Prince-Fields, application engineer with GE Energy’s Air Filtration. “Attendees return not only with knowledge but the practical skills to help improve energy savings at their plants, decrease chances of unplanned outages and stay on top of changing industry regulations.”

Relevant for anyone who works with dust collection—including power plants, cement and lime producers, steel operations, process industries, food and pharmaceuticals—the workshop may be useful in meeting requirements for continuing education. GE’s seminars utilize knowledge gained from more than 40 years of working with customers to tackle industrial dust collection needs.

“I’ve been to GE’s seminars four or five times and have sent others over the years,” says Gary Fraley, maintenance supervisor Ash-BOP, with East Kentucky Power Cooperative. “The workshop gives new-hires a better understanding of baghouse operations from end to end. And for those who are repeat attendees, it’s a good refresher and helps us stay on top of new technology.”

Participants can sign up for this month’s seminar through June 8. GE plans to repeat the workshop in November. In addition, GE offers a quarterly dust collection webinar series online to address ongoing dust collection trends. The next three-part webinar series occurs in July.

“In-person seminars and webinars give colleagues a chance to exchange best practices and ideas across industries,” says Prince-Fields. “We can share our collected knowledge and in the process, we at GE continue to learn a lot—which helps us better serve our customers.”

For more information or to register for GE’s dust collection seminars and webinars, visit ge-energy.com/onelessworry, or contact Steven Harlan, GE Energy’s Air Filtration education leader.

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.

GE Energy works connecting people and ideas everywhere to create advanced technologies for powering a cleaner, more productive world. With more than 100,000 employees in over 100 countries, our diverse portfolio of product and service solutions and deep industry expertise help our customers solve their challenges locally. We serve the energy sector with technologies in such areas as natural gas, oil, coal and nuclear energy; wind, solar, biogas and water processing; energy management; and grid modernization. We also offer integrated solutions to serve energy- and water-intensive industries such as mining, metals, marine, petrochemical, food & beverage and unconventional fuels.

GE Appliances is First Appliance Manufacturer to Partner in Four Voluntary EPA Programs

Press release:

09 May 2012

GE Appliances is First Appliance Manufacturer to Partner in Four Voluntary EPA Programs

 

• GE is the only appliance manufacturer partnering with the EPA’s WasteWise program – a voluntary waste-reduction initiative
• GE also announced its partnership with the EPA's SmartWay® Program, bringing total EPA partnerships to four
• GE’s partnership with four individual EPA programs is consistent with the company’s ecomagination^SM initiative to deploy solutions for today’s energy and environmental challenges

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — May 9, 2012 — (NYSE: GE) — Giving customers one more reason to choose GE appliances, GE announced today that it has become a partner with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WasteWise Program – a voluntary initiative focused on waste reduction and saving environmental resources while reducing emissions. GE also announced its partnership with EPA’s SmartWay® Program to help lower transportation-related emissions.

Already an ENERGY STAR® and Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) Program partner, GE is the first and only appliance manufacturer to partner collectively on all four of these environmental-impact initiatives.

“Customers care about the environmental impact of the products they purchase, and at GE, we’re committed to reducing that impact,” said Mark Shirkness, general manager, distribution services, GE Appliances. “By participating in these four programs, we have made a voluntary commitment to both the EPA and our customers to report how we have improved performance on a variety of environmental metrics.”

Wise About Waste: Today, 70 percent of consumers want all or part of their appliances recycled, and 82 percent will go out of their way to purchase from a manufacturer that recycles.

Partnering with the RAD and WasteWise Programs, GE has made a commitment to significantly reduce the landfill waste of appliance disposal. Through GE’s agreement with the Appliance Recycling Centers of America (ARCA) (Nasdaq: ARCI) involving the Philadelphia-based ARCA Advanced Processing (AAP) recycling center, GE and ARCA have already reduced the landfill waste of appliances processed at AAP by approximately 318,000 pounds monthly – which is estimated to be more than 3.8 million pounds annually. See the September 2011 announcement.

Waste reductions will come from:

• Processing refrigerator insulating foam and plastic through the UNTHA Recycling Technology (URT) system, which helps reduce landfill waste of a refrigerator by 85 percent by weight – or from 55 pounds to less than eight pounds of waste per refrigerator;
• The recovery of multiple appliance product materials that were previously landfilled, including plastics, circuit boards, glass, pelletized foam, and more. Since April 2011, AAP has diverted 2.3 million pounds of plastics for recycling.

In addition to reporting on the Philadelphia location as part of the WasteWise and RAD programs, GE will report waste-reduction and recycling efforts for its Appliance Park manufacturing facility in Louisville, Ky., and the company’s refrigerator manufacturing plant in Bloomington, Ind. Teams are focused on determining uses for landfill waste, including plastics and glass, and are actively developing processes to track and recover such materials.

Smarter Delivery: On top of reducing landfill waste, GE Appliances is also committed to more sustainable transportation when moving appliances from manufacturing operations to retailers and consumers.

Of the approximate 144 million miles that GE’s inbound appliance parts and appliances traveled in the U.S. annually in 2010, 80 percent of those miles were with EPA SmartWay® carrier partners, which are distinguished by their measured commitment to environmental performance and fuel efficiency. Because SmartWay® carriers’ performance is ranked and publicized, they are subject to competitive pressures to continuously improve their metrics.

A Corporate Commitment to the Environment: GE’s partnership with four individual EPA programs is consistent with the company’s ecomagination^SM initiative to deploy solutions for today’s energy and environmental challenges.

“EPA’s voluntary programs are strengthening the economy while giving American families more choices each day to bring cleaner, more sustainable, money-saving products into their homes,” said U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “We urge companies across the country to follow GE’s lead in joining EPA voluntary programs.”

A long-time ENERGY STAR® partner, GE partnered with RAD in 2011 and SmartWay® and WasteWise in 2012.

GE Appliances considers the full spectrum of environmental metrics in the products it manufactures, from the manufacturing of refrigerators with more environmentally sustainable insulating material, to more responsible end-of-life disposal. GE offers hundreds of ENERGY STAR®-qualified appliance models, which deliver efficiency and cost savings to customers over product life. GE also ensures sustainable and efficient transportation to support the manufacturing and delivery operations.

About GE AppliancesGE Appliances is at the forefront of building innovative, energy-efficient appliances that improve people’s lives. GE Appliances’ products include refrigerators, freezers, cooking products, dishwashers, washers, dryers, air conditioners, water filtration systems and water heaters. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better.