General Electric announced on Wednesday, Aug. 5, that it plans to locate its state-of-the-art battery manufacturing plant on the GE Energy Campus in Schenectady.
We’re absolutely thrilled that Schenectady County has competed for, and won, a $100 million investment and 350 new manufacturing jobs, and they’re coming to our community, said Susan Savage, chair of the Schenectady County Legislature, D-Niskayuna.
`GE is a global corporation and this project could have gone anywhere in the world but it will be located right here in Schenectady County,` said Savage.
She added that this project represents the largest single investment ever made in Schenectady County and that the investment will position the county `to be a leader in renewable energy.`
The $100 million battery plant will bring 350 jobs to the site. It also expands the company’s clean energy initiatives. The factory is expected to serve as the main manufacturing center for GE’s newly formed battery business, which will be part of GE Transportation.
IUE-CWA Local 301, Schenectady County, city officials, and the state’s congressional leadership all played a part in bringing the battery project to Schenectady.
`This project is a great example of the public-private partnership that is essential to rebuild America’s manufacturing base, create new jobs and accelerate the pace of new technology,` said Chris Horn, a representative from GE Energy. `Particularly new technology that comes from our GE Research and Development Center in Niskayuna, as is the case with these sodium-based batteries.`
The decision to come to Schenectady was partially based on financial incentives provided by Schenectady County’s Metroplex Development Authority. A $5 million grant from Metroplex will support GE’s effort to renovate and expand the location, Building 66 at the Main Energy Campus, to serve as the home of the advanced battery manufacturing plant. There is alo an agreement with Metroplex to set up a payment in lieu of a tax agreement that will establish the value of the city portion of the Main Energy Campus at $65 million for the next 10 years.
The other factor in GE’s decision to locate the new battery plant in Schenectady was IUE-CWA Local 301’s membership approval of a local amendment to the GE/IUE-CWA National Agreement. The amendment provides for cost savings that aid GE’s position while preserving jobs in the area and also enabling future growth.
`On behalf of the energy arena There is no mistake that the battery is yet the center of the energy revolution ` the energy transformation we require relies heavily on that battery development,` said Congressman Paul Tonko ` D, 21st Distrcit of New York.
In addition to the local incentives, Gov. David Paterson committed $15 million to the project in May.
`Clearly they understand the promise that clean energy technology holds in rebuilding the atate’s economy,` said Horn.
According to GE officials, the project has been strongly supported by New York’s congressional delegation as well.
GE has invested more than $150 million to develop advanced battery technologies, including a high energy density, sodium-based battery that will provide energy storage for future product applications. Plans are for the first application to be GE’s hybrid locomotive, which GE hopes to commercialize in 2010. GE believes that advanced battery manufacturing could grow into a $1 billion industry over the next decade.
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