A group of utility and energy-related companies signed deals Tuesday to research and build new cleaner-energy infrastructure in China as part of a government summit in Washington.
General Electric Co., Duke Energy Corp. and Babcock & Wilcox Co. all announced deals Tuesday to develop new power generation infrastructure. The deals were signed to coincide with Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Washington, D.C.
Babcock & Wilcox Co., which makes power equipment for utilities, said it entered a research consortium with Duke, General Electric and West Virginia University to develop new "clean coal," equipment that would cut down on air pollution from power plants. The so-called U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center will utilize a $12.5 million federal grant West Virginia University won in September.
The consortium will also include engineering company LP Amina and utility company American Electric Power. Other institutions involved are the University of Wyoming, University of Kentucky, Indiana University, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, National Energy Technology Laboratory, World Resources Institute and the U.S.-China Clean Energy Forum.
Utility company Duke announced Tuesday it also signed an agreement with China-based ENN Group to build clean energy transportation and electrical system for a China's first smart energy "eco-city" in Langfang, China. Duke said it will work with ENN to develop the city as a test platform for new energy systems, including electric vehicle infrastructure.
General Electric announced it entered a joint venture to develop coal gasification equipment with Chinese company Shenhua. The deal establishes a joint venture company for GE and Shenhua to sell industrial coal gasification technology licenses, lobby for more coal gasification facilities and develop new products.
