Markham, Ontario: On March 9 General Electric (GE) and the Government of Ontario announced a new $40M Grid IQ™ Innovation Centre, the first centre of its kind for GE in Canada, to be located in Markham, part of the Greater Toronto Area. GE describes Grid IQ as its company-wide commitment to solving customers’ toughest challenges with more efficient, reliable and sustainable energy solutions.
The 200,000 square foot centre will develop and manufacture grid modernization technologies and will encompass a global testing and simulation laboratory. The building is expected to open in July 2012.
The announcement was made by Minister of Economic Development and Trade Sandra Pupatello, Minister of Energy Brad Duguid, GE Canada President and CEO Elyse Allan and Juan Macias, General Manager, Smart Substations, GE’s Digital Energy business. The $40 million project will be supported by a grant of $7.9 million from the government of Ontario.
The new Centre builds on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) GE signed with the Ontario government in September 2009 to partner and invest long-term within the province to establish new or expanded centres of technology and advanced manufacturing. Under the MOU, GE recently announced the establishment of the company’s first Digital Pathology Centre of Excellence in Toronto, and a $100M investment in the GE Motors, Peterborough facility.
GE’s Grid IQ™ Innovation Centre is expected to stimulate research and development, and create new innovation-related jobs — including expanded manufacturing. GE plans to add approximately 146 new positions over the next four years. Additional indirect jobs in high-tech research, design, manufacturing and construction are anticipated, beginning when the Centre breaks ground for its new building this spring.
Britton Cronin, a publicist for GE, said the Innovation Centre will focus on delivering solutions to improve system efficiency and reliability, and to protect and automate the power system. Specific activities planned for the centre include leading-edge research and development in substation and distribution automation, electrical system protection and control, micro-grid control and cyber security. In addition, the centre will foster customer innovation and collaboration, featuring a training center, application showcase and demo room as well as real-time simulation of customer networks. Research and development will be in substation and distribution automation, electrical system protection and control, micro-grid control and cyber security.
GE is already working with Hydro One on its Advanced Distribution System project, part of their smart grid initiative being tested in the Owen Sound area, Ms. Cronin added (see “Ontario utilities prepare for smart grid,” page 22). GE also works with local distribution companies throughout Ontario.
“Through this important partnership, we are creating jobs and establishing centres of excellence for Ontarians in high-growth sectors of the economy,” said Minister Pupatello. “The global demand for clean technologies is increasing and today, we’re taking another step forward in establishing Ontario as a market leader.”
“A smart grid will greatly enhance the reliability of Ontario’s electricity system and provide real choices to Ontarians in managing their electricity consumption,” said Minister Duguid. “This investment reaffirms our commitment to creating a strong, reliable, clean energy system while cleaning up the air we breathe for future generations.”
Specific activities planned for GE’s Grid IQ™ Innovation Centre include leading edge research and development in substation and distribution automation, electrical system protection and control, micro-grid control, and cyber security. New products and solutions created at the site will be supported by manufacturing. GE’s Grid IQ™ Innovation Centre will include expanded manufacturing facilities for GE’s Smart Grid Automation products, which will relocate from Calgary.
See Feature story: The Smart Grid - What does it mean?