Abu Dhabi: A new centre in Abu Dhabi will help find innovative solutions for water and energy challenges in the region.
General Electric (GE), a multinational company, opened its first ecomagination centre in the world at Masdar City on Wednesday as part of a strategic co-operation agreement with Abu Dhabi government-owned Mubadala Development Company.
The centre is part of GE’s ecomagination initiative, a technology platform to drive cleaner energy solutions.
The new centre will showcase advanced technology solutions and offer training in the challenges and opportunities in advancing energy and water efficiency in the region. The centre will also serve as a hub for localised innovation that involves all key stakeholders including educational institutions and the community at large, the company said.
“GE’s ecomagination centre supports our collective efforts to encourage stronger public-private sector engagement and advance sustainable development,” said Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State and CEO of Masdar, who inaugurated the centre. “Masdar City is on a journey to build the world’s most sustainable city.”
The addition of GE is an important milestone in Masdar’s growth, as it expands and incorporates a diverse mix of tenants, making up a diverse urban community, Al Jaber said.
Nabeel Habayeb, GE’s president and CEO for the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, said the company has invested $10 million (Dh36.7 million) in the centre.
“Locating the ecomagination centre at Masdar City further delivers on our promise to be an active partner in the concerted efforts of the UAE government to promote a culture of sustainability,” he said.
Deb Frodl, GE’s global executive director of the ecomagination initiative, said GE minimised fresh water use and greenhouse gas emissions by 32 per cent and 46 per cent respectively in its 550 offices across the globe in a short span of time.
Since the inception in 2005, the ecomagination initiative has generated revenues of $130 billion (Dh477.1 billion) by selling sustainable solutions and products. The revenue was $25 billion (Dh91.75 billion) in 2013, she said.
The 840 square metre centre presents a journey for visitors that highlights the UAE’s vision for a greener world, the significance of the GE-Mubadala partnership, and the various innovations of GE to secure a cleaner and more efficient energy infrastructure. It presents the global energy footprint, the regional and local initiatives to promote energy and water use efficiency with the spotlight on the technologies that drive water, energy, lighting and transportation efficiency.
Several case studies of ecomagination will be showcased at the centre. It will also present the Industrial Internet initiative of GE that combines intelligent machines, advanced analytics and people at work in ways that dramatically improve productivity and efficiency.
