Blog : GE Global Research

Developing “NY-BEST” battery technology

Job Rijssenbeek
Chemical Technologies and Materials Characterization
Niskayuna, NY USA
View Job Rijssenbeek's profile
subscribe to Job Rijssenbeek's feed

This week the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced $8 million in awards to help develop or commercialize energy storage technologies. The largest single award ($2.5 million) went to a team led by GE Global Research to accelerate the advancement of sodium metal halide batteries. This collaborative research effort draws experts from across New York State to significantly enhance the next generation of these batteries through improved reliability, cycle life, and performance. These improvements will be derived via advances in the fundamental understanding of reaction and degradation mechanisms, improvements in high-performance materials, development of predictive multi-scale electrochemical models, creation of world leading in-situ characterization techniques, and the convergence of laboratory scale optimizations into full-cell validations.

You may have read about the sodium battery technology on this blog previously – including plans to establish manufacturing capability in Schenectady, NY. Initially studied for GE’s hybrid locomotive, we see great potential for it today in stationary backup power (for example in telecommunication towers, hospitals, and data centers) and hybridized heavy-duty off-highway vehicles (like locomotives and mining vehicles). In the future, through the work of our scientists and collaborations like the one announced this week, we envision serving even broader markets.

GE Global Research has had a foundational role in building this new battery business for GE. Our scientists and engineers bring a diverse skill set, from basic electrochemistry and multi-physics modeling, to ceramics and metallurgy, to cell building and testing; along with the proven ability to successfully transition technology into the marketplace. In addition to GE Global Research, the project includes leading researchers from four New York universities (Clarkson, Columbia, Alfred, and Stony Brook) and Brookhaven National Laboratory. This world-class team will contribute expertise in electrochemistry, nanoparticle synthesis, computer modeling, ceramics, glasses, and in-situ characterization. We also see this statewide collaboration as a small first step towards creating a “technology ecosystem” of research institutions, suppliers, manufacturers and customers that will form the basis for vibrant and sustainable growth.

The battery manufacturing plant being set up in Schenectady is expected to directly create upwards of 350 jobs when in full productions. I am very excited to be a part of bringing this project to fruition and building the interactions that will carry it into an even brighter future.

March 12th, 2010 | Chemical Technologies & Materials Characterization

TAGS: batteries, energy storage, new york state, nyserda, renewables, schenectady

Munich technologies in the media spotlight

Eva Bernal
Electronic Systems and Controls
Munich, Germany
View Eva Bernal's profile
subscribe to Eva Bernal's feed

Hello again, I wanted to share a quick link to a video filmed by German TV and radio station Bayerisches Fernsehen featuring our research facility in Munich. This was filmed in November 2009 and discusses some of the work we are doing at Global Research in technology areas such as automated manufacturing for carbon composites and the area in which I work, solar technology research. Let me know what you think.

View the video by clicking the picture above or by clicking here.

March 11th, 2010 | Electronic Systems & Controls, Global Research

TAGS: composites, Munich, Siemens, technology, videos

Reflecting on EEDP in Bangalore

Andrea Howard, editor
Edison Engineering Development Program
Niskayuna, NY USA
View Andrea Howard's profile
subscribe to Andrea Howard's feed

All, something that I wanted to be sure to point out about the Edison program is that it is not just part of Global Research and Edisons are not just based in Niskayuna. The Edison Engineering Development Program spans across the globe and GE’s businesses. Recently, some of the Edisons based at the John F. Welch Technology Center in Bangalore, India, completed the program and during their graduation, took a few moments to reflect back on their time as an Edison. As well, the leader of the Edison program at the JFWTC spoke on what she feels she has gotten out of her role and interaction with Edisons.

Check out the videos!

EEDP Leader in Bangalore, Prabha Chatterji:
“This has been one of the proudest responsibilities for me to shoulder”:

Recent EEDP graduate, Paromita Bhattacharya:
“After completing this program, anything and every challenge at GE you will be ready to handle.”:

Recent EEDP graduate, Aanchal Saini:
“When I tell my friends, I say it very proudly, ‘I work at GE’ and they always say, ‘Oh, wow!’”

Recent EEDP graduate Anurag Agarwal:
“It is a very promising program, which excites me still!”

March 10th, 2010 | Edison Engineering Development Program

TAGS: Bangalore, development, edison, Edisons, EEDP, leadership

Sustainable energy from underground

Emad Andarawis, editor
Micro And Nano Structures
Niskayuna, NY USA
View Emad Andarawis's profile
subscribe to Emad Andarawis's feed

As I’ve mentioned in past blog entries, in Micro and Nano Structures Technologies, we are working on high-temperature electronic devices and circuits made with Silicon Carbide. One application for high-temperature electronic devices and circuits is in energy production from an energy source that is under the ground we stand on: geothermal energy.

A lot of the energy sources we’re accustomed to come from underground. Petroleum, coal and natural gas are all harvested from the depths of the earth and have been our primary energy sources for many years. But geothermal energy has been gaining a lot of attention in recent years. Though also buried deep into the earth, this source is not a material we burn to produce energy, it is the heat of the earth itself.

As one goes deeper below the earth’s surface, the temperature rises somewhere between 10-50C for every 1000 meters. Now imagine drilling a well that gets to temperatures of about 300C, and then pumping water in that well; the temperature is hot enough that the water turns into steam. This steam can be used to run a steam turbine and generate clean electricity. In order to run the steam turbine efficiently and continue generating constant energy output over the life of the system, one needs to know the conditions in the well in real-time and use that information to control parameters relating to the turbine operation.

There is only one problem with that: the well is about 10km deep (half the length of Manhattan island), and the temperature at the bottom of the well is 300C. At very high temperatures, electrons leak out of the electrical circuits and sensors; we call this leakage current. Most conventional electronics, even the ones rated for military applications, can only withstand temperatures of 125C, possibly 150C. At 300C leakage current of conventional electronics is almost 32,000 times higher than at 150C; conventional packages and interconnects fail. Long term geothermal well monitoring requires electronics that can survive in the environment for thousands of hours. Conventional electronics incorporating complex packaging and cooling designs may enable the sensing system to survive and function for a few hours in such a high temperature environment, but practical long-term survivability and functionality requires a substantial shift from the conventional.

Working in high temperature electronics is an exciting field, as new applications continue to be explored daily.

March 9th, 2010 | Micro & Nano Structures

TAGS: geothermal, high temperature electronics, Sustainable Energy

Supporting the DOE Science Bowl

This weekend GE Global Research hosted the Capital Region’s Science Bowl competition for both local middle and high schools. The event is sponsored by the Department of Energy and the winners of this weekend’s competition will be traveling in April to the Nationals in Washington, D.C.! I spent my Saturday volunteering at the event with about 100 of my colleagues. We were helping to time, moderate, judge, and score the event. I think events like Science Bowl are extremely important to keep middle and high school students motivated, excited, and interested in science. The students who participated are incredibly smart and driven and their passion will be what drives innovation breakthroughs in the future.

The Schenectady Daily Gazette covered the event and put a great story in their Sunday paper. Congratulations to all the teams who competed, and good luck to Bethlehem Central High School and Van Antwerp Middle Schools as they move on to the National Science Bowl competition in Washington, D.C.