GE bullish on province's green power sector
'We see B.C. as a very exciting market,' president and CEO of General Electric Canada says
One of the biggest sponsors of the Winter Olympics is also bullish on investing in British Columbia's green energy sector.
General Electric has huge corporate presence at the 2010 Games, as a service provider, as a sponsor and as a broadcaster.
Sponsorship contributions include a $4.5-million US mobile medical unit for athletes in the Sea to Sky region, and $700,000 toward a restoration and improvement of Robson Square ice rink, which has turned the downtown venue into one of the Games's most popular family destinations.
All of the high-tech "smart" household appliances at BC Hydro's Power Smart energy efficient model home, built for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, are GE-manufactured. The hybrid hot water heater in particular may emerge as a game-changer in the energy efficiency realm.
As well, GE is the International Olympic Committee's exclusive U.S. media partner through its NBC Universal division.
Senior GE officials have also found the time to make some announcements regarding investments in the 2010 Olympics' host province.
GE Canada president and CEO Alyse Allan announced a partnership with University of B.C. and Vancouver's Nexterra Energy to research a new renewable electricity generating system using Nexterra's biomass technology and a GE engine that was previously developed for use in distilleries.
Alex Urquhart, president and CEO of GE Energy Financial Services, joined Vancouver's
Plutonic Power to exhort government and BC Hydro to accelerate the development of
independent power projects in B.C. GE's Energy Financial
Services division has invested $500 million in Plutonic's Toba Inlet run-of-river hydro project and has joined Plutonic on a $227-million investment in the first phase of the Dokie wind farm project.
In an interview Wednesday, Allan recalled Premier Gordon Campbell saying last week that B.C. has an opportunity to become a strong centre for development and production of clean energy technology. She said GE's involvement with Nexterra and Plutonic are indicative of the wide array of opportunities available in the province.
