GE to establish 200,000 s/f Capital Region manufacturing facility

According to governor David Paterson and General Electric (GE) chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt, GE has proposed the establishment of a new sodium battery manufacturing facility in the Capital Region that would also create 350 new jobs. "We intend to make New York the global capital of the new clean energy economy. That commitment is part of the reason GE is interested in expanding its operations to begin producing high-tech batteries in our state and demonstrates that our strategy will create real jobs for New Yorkers," said Paterson. "This is exactly the kind of project congress envisioned when it enacted the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and I urge the U.S. Department of Energy to approve this important project for the benefit of NYS." Immelt said, "This type of public-private partnership is essential to rebuild America's manufacturing base, create new jobs and to accelerate the pace at which new technology comes to market. As GE launches this technology business, I want to thank governor Paterson and his economic development team for their assistance in facilitating the agreement that made the selection of New York an easy decision." Senate majority leader Malcolm Smith said, "To better compete in the global economic market and drive our state toward a 21st century economy, we need to create new, green jobs that are as good for the economy as they are for the environment. I applaud governor Paterson, our Congressional Delegation and GE chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt for creating jobs that will help spur our economy through innovation and energy efficiency." NYS will contribute a combined total of $15 million in grant funds to help facilitate this new project. Empire State Development (ESD) has offered the company a Jobs Now capital grant of up to $12.5 million, while the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) will make at least $2.5 million available for the company to implement energy efficiency measures. The proposal is dependent upon the acceptance of GE's application to the U.S. Department of Energy to receive funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's Advanced Battery Manufacturing Grant program. Should GE's application for federal stimulus funding be approved, GE Transportation will establish an approximately 200,000 s/f manufacturing plant in New York's Capital Region to produce GE's sodium batteries, GEMx. This type of battery technology is currently being used by GE's diesel-electric locomotives. These batteries have a dynamic versatility and will be manufactured for numerous energy storage applications around the globe including in residential, commercial, military and transportation sectors. The new facility will be the company's first full-scale manufacturing plant producing these innovative batteries. GE has several plants currently operating in NYS, including Albany, Crotonville, Ft. Edwards, Latham, Newburgh, Niskayuna and Schenectady. Assembly speaker Sheldon Silver said: "For decades the Capital District has been an important region for electronics manufacturing and development. Grants from ESDC and NYSERDA, along with federal stimulus funds, will help GE expand its energy operation here. This public-private partnership will not only help develop cutting edge battery technology but will also provide a needed boost to the upstate economy in the midst of an economic recession. I thank governor Paterson and the New York congressional delegation for their leadership in helping to create these new jobs." Paterson recently launched the creation the New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology Consortium (known as NY BEST), which implemented a key goal identified in his State of the State address. The State will invest more than $25 million to finance the Consortium, a first of its kind in the nation and a critical component in advancing the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) industry in New York. One of the goals of the NY BEST Consortium is to develop and manufacture the batteries that will be used in plug-in hybrid electric cars and medium and heavy-duty transportation applications. The battery research will also include the development of systems that can be used with wind and solar energy generators to enable them to provide electricity to customers 24 hours a day, even when the wind is not blowing and the sun is not shining. To complement the coming age of the hybrid electric vehicle, the governor's Smart Grid Consortium is identifying electricity system needs to accommodate greater use of these vehicles.