General Motors Teams Up With EPA To Promote Co-Generation
FOR RELEASE: October 15, 2001General Motors Teams Up With EPA To Promote Co-Generation
Washington, D.C. - General Motors has teamed up with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and several Fortune 500 companies, cities, and universities in a voluntary program to boost the market for combined heat and power.
Combined heat and power (CHP), or co-generation, is a highly efficient form of electricity generation that recycles otherwise discarded heat to help meet local demands for heating and cooling. The process significantly reduces air emissions and fuel consumption. CHP applications are 60 to 90 percent efficient, compared to conventional power generation efficiencies ranging from 25 to 50 percent.
"GM welcomes the opportunity to team up with the EPA, and others, to promote this exciting new technology," said Dennis R. Minano, GM's Vice President of Environment & Energy and Chief Environmental Officer. "CHP is proven pollution prevention technology and, as a founding partner, we look forward to identifying opportunities for expanding cogeneration in our facilities."
The existing CHP projects of the founding partners represent more than 5,800 megawatts of capacity. In addition, through their very high efficiency, these projects save the energy equivalent of 19 million barrels of oil annually. For more than four decades, GM has been an environmental leader, using an array of technology innovations and business practices to reduce energy use in GM products and facilities. GM is in the midst of an aggressive, 10-year program to reduce energy use at its North American facilities by 25 percent by the end of 2005. With a 12.5 percent savings in energy consumption since 1985, GM is on target to meet its goal.
In addition to energy reduction through programs such as the EPA's CHP, Green Lights and Energy Star Buildings Partnership, GM also has been actively pursuing renewable energy use through its participation in the EPA's Landfill Methane Outreach Program and membership in the Green Power Market Development Group. For more information on GM's plants, products and partnerships, visit www.gmability.com.
General Motors , the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, designs, builds and markets cars and trucks worldwide. In 2000, GM earned $5 billion on sales of $183.3 billion. It employs about 372,000 people globally.
GM also operates one of the largest and most successful financial services companies, GMAC, which offers automotive, mortgage and business financing and insurance services to customers worldwide.
GM is investing aggressively in digital technology and e-business within its global automotive operations and through such initiatives as e-GM, GM BuyPower, OnStar and its Hughes Electronics Corp. subsidiary.
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