GE announced the partnership with BHP Billiton to reduce the emissions intensity of unearthing resources such as gas, oil, copper, iron ore and coal. GE has also announced new partnerships with key companies across an array of resource sectors. 

GE Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea’s president Geoff Culbert said: “We must continue to look for innovative ways to help the sector become more efficient and productive while at the same time reducing the environmental impact. We are proud to partner with BHP Billiton in this mission, and draw on our combined capability and depth of experience to identify real, impactful ways to benefit the sector.”

The two companies will evaluate operations to create an optimal efficiency approach which will be shared across the sector to improve economic and environmental performance.

Partners

The partnership falls under GE’s Ecomagination, a strategy launched 10 years ago to solve energy and environmental challenges using economically viable methods. Alongside BHP Biliiton, GE has also announced partnerships with Masdar, Walmart, Total, MWH, Goldman Sachs, Intel and Statoil.

Each partnership will develop solutions to reduce emissions while simultaneously increasing productively across, what GE views as, key resource industries. 

Banking and finance firms Goldman Sachs & MHW will work with GE to access private sector finance for water reuse projects to mitigate the scarcity crisis. Tech firm Intel is aiming to develop digital optimisation techniques and advanced manufacturing to increase resource productivity while lowering energy and water consumption.

Oil and gas energy company Statoil is working with GE to develop technology and techniques for increasing resource efficiency and reducing emissions in order to make oil and gas production more environmentally sustainable.

Oil and gas multinational Total aims to create a hybrid cleaner energy system for industrial use; while Walmart is looking to accelerate the commercial adoption of renewable energy schemes to be used by large scale retailers.

Current expectations

Last month GE launched a new clean energy start-up, grouping together its LED, solar, energy storage and electric vehicle businesses.

The new company, called Current, will deliver “the most cost-effective, efficient energy solutions required by customers today and in the future”. Current will begin with more than $1bn of revenue and will essentially act as an energy consultancy for clients wishing to reduce emissions.

Matt Mace

Action inspires action. Stay ahead of the curve with sustainability and energy newsletters from edie

Subscribe