The company said that the systems that will find place at the center will demonstrate smart grid operation for utilities across China. GE is also working on identifying and optimizing the smart grid technologies at the center to help China drive towards efficient energy delivery with reduced carbon footprint.
The demonstration center includes an array of GE products that cater to energy in homes, on power lines and in a utility’s network control center. It also demonstrates communications infrastructure that can enable citywide systems beyond energy, such as voice and data applications.
In addition, the demonstration centre has advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) smart meters, which is at the core of energy savings, in the home energy technologies section. The tools operated through the meter include home energy management systems, programmable thermostats, smart appliances that perform activities based on energy availability and cost and demand-response systems that reduce home energy usage during times of peak energy demand.
Grid infrastructure and control technologies in the demonstration feature automated outage identification and restoration software, field-force automation and deployment systems and grid-wide network management software.
The initiative also will include installation and demonstration of home-based charging stations for plug-in hybrid EVs, which will facilitate overnight charging, and in the long run help broader adoption of EVs and reduce China’s dependence on foreign oil while lowering the carbon footprint of the country.
The center compliments 2009’s US-China clean energy collaboration, calling for cooperation between the two countries to promote clean energy.
Bob Gilligan, vice president of digital energy business at GE, said: “China is emerging as a world leader in understanding the enormous benefits of readily-available, sustainable energy as an economic growth tool.
“The efficiency, communications and carbon-reduction deliverables of GE’s smart grid technologies demonstrated here will help China’s government and industry meet their aggressive environmental and business objectives.”
