GE invests US$1.4b in global distributed power business

Here's how it plans to light the world.

GE will be splurging US$1.4 billion on its distributed power business which officially launched in Jakarta, Indonesia on Tuesday. GE’s new business combines three product lines—aeroderivative turbines, Jenbacher gas engine, and Waukesha gas engine. John Rice, Vice Chairman at GE, and Lorraine Bolsinger, President and CEO at GE’s Distributed Power, officiated the global launch which marks an important milestone in world’s power industry.

“If we can bring distributed energy to rural or outside of urban areas, we’ll have better healthcare services, better education, and improved quality of life,” said Bolsinger.

The event witnessed hundreds of participants from the global energy industry including suppliers, power producers, and clients. Also gracing the event was Vice Minister Susilo Siswoutomo who emphasized the importance of GE’s new business in upgrading the power capabilities in Indonesia and its rural areas. “Indonesia needs GE and GE needs Indonesia,” he said.

Meanwhile, energy analyst Brand Owens said “by 2020, 65% of global electricity consumption will be located in emerging markets. These regions represent the greatest opportunity for distributed power.”

Set against the backdrop of rising global distributed power installations and investments, GE targets to bring vital energy to the largest cities and the smallest villages across the world. To date, over 37,000 GE Distributed Products have been installed in more than 170 countries. It is estimated that by 2020, $206 billion dollars will be invested annually in the distributed power business. Distributed power applications will account for 42% of global capacity additions.