GE's Solar Modules Used in Korean Project
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - March 21, 2006 - GE Energy was recently selected by AstroKorea to supply its solar energy equipment to Nam Jeju-gun, the local government of Mara Island, Korea, for a new solar power installation.
GE Energy provided 2,010 GEPV-75W solar modules for a total output of 150kw. The modules were installed on open ground and provide power to the Mara Island grid. The system, which was commissioned in December 2005, also can work in conjunction with diesel generators and has remote monitoring capabilities.
Mara Island is part of Nam Jeju-gun County and is located approximately 30 minutes from Jeju Island. The area is rapidly growing and is a popular honeymoon and vacation destination, and the new solar power facility is expected to become a tourist attraction.
AstroKorea, based in Seoul, was the general contractor for the project and Kwangdong Electronic Co. Ltd., a local Jeju Island-based company, installed the solar system. The continuing advancement of solar technology is a key element of GE ecomagination (www.ge.com/ecomagination), a GE commitment to aggressively bring to market new technologies that will help customers meet pressing environmental challenges. Launched in May of last year, ecomagination is at the forefront of the company's business initiatives. Under ecomagination, GE will invest $1.5 billion annually in research in cleaner technologies by 2010, up from $700 million in 2004.
"GE Energy is pleased to help bring solar energy to the picturesque Mara Island," said Vic Abate, vice president, renewables, for GE Energy. "We are an industry leader in the design of solar electric systems and this Korean project underscores GE's commitment to ecomagination."
"We are proud to have so many of GE Energy's solar modules installed on Mara Island. Not only will the new solar energy equipment bring much needed power to the grid, but we also hope that it will improve our local economy by bringing more tourists to the island," said Mr. Cho Bong Woon, president of AstroKorea Inc.
About GE Energy
GE Energy (www.ge.com/energy) is one of the world's leading suppliers of power generation and energy delivery technologies, with 2005 revenue of $16.5 billion. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, GE Energy works in all areas of the energy industry including coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy; renewable resources such as water, wind, solar and biogas; and other alternative fuels. Numerous GE Energy products are certified under ecomagination, GE's corporate-wide initiative to aggressively bring to market new technologies that will help customers meet pressing environmental challenges.
For more information, contact:
Dennis Murphy
GE Energy
+1 678 844 6948
dennis.murphy@ge.com
Ken Darling or Howard Masto
Masto Public Relations
+1 518 786 6488
kenneth.darling@ge.com
howard.masto@ge.com
