Indianapolis Airport Authority, GE Energy and Purdue University Bring Latest Electric Vehicle Charging Technology to Parking Garage

(3BL Media / theCSRfeed) Indianapolis, IN - December 9, 2011 - Electric vehicle (EV) drivers using the Indianapolis International Airport now have a convenient way to ensure a fully charged ride home, with the installation of three new GE Energy EV charging stations in the airport parking garage.

Beginning today, the GE WattStation(TM) Wall Mount EV charging stations can be used at no cost to travelers who use the airport's valet parking services. By managing the GE EV charging stations through its valet service, the Indianapolis Airport Authority (IAA) and Parking Solutions for Airports and Global Parking System Inc. can rotate the charging of parked EVs, ensuring the service is available to any number of electric vehicles.

"EV charging services provide more options for our travelers while also supporting our broader commitment to being a good neighbor responsive to the needs of our community," said John D. Clark III, executive director and CEO of the IAA. "Engaging in sustainability practices that add value to our customers, our community and our business model is a great way to make good on that commitment."

An ongoing collaboration between Purdue University and GE Energy is at the heart of the new airport charging option. Purdue acquired the units with funding from Energy Systems Network through a grant from the Indiana Office of Energy Development.

"It's exciting to see GE's easy-to-use WattStation in a large, busy setting like the Indianapolis International Airport," said Luis Ramirez, CEO of GE Energy Industrial Solutions. "Installing our WattStations at transportation hubs like airports provides solutions for EV drivers and brings us one step closer to the development of a comprehensive, sustainable EV infrastructure."

Eric Dietz, associate professor of computer and information technology and director of Purdue's Homeland Security Institute, said, "Purdue is pleased to work with IAA and GE Energy on this initiative to promote clean, renewable energy, produced in the United States. Purdue's faculty and students will collect data from the airport chargers to use in electric vehicle and smart grid research."

The airport's valet services are available to customers on the curbside of the departures level, as well as on the third floor of the parking garage. The GE EV charging stations will be installed near the valet parking area on the third floor of the airport parking garage.

Additional sustainability initiatives at the airport include IAA's recent completion of relighting projects in its parking garage and at the Indianapolis Maintenance Center that produce combined yearly savings of more than $250,000 and annually reduce CO2 emissions by 5,233 metric tons, equivalent to removing more than 1,000 gasoline-powered cars from the city's roads each year.

IAA also has announced plans to develop one of the largest airport-based solar farms in North America, which will annually produce more than 15 million kilowatt hours of power, enough to meet the electrical energy needs of more than 1,200 average American homes for a year. The renewable power it generates will prevent approximately 10,700 tons of CO2 from being released into the environment each year, roughly equivalent to removing 2,000 gasoline-powered cars from the road annually.

Earlier this month, the airport was awarded LEED(R) certification for the Midfield Terminal complex and is the only airport in the United States to achieve the certification for an entire airport campus.

For more information about the GE WattStation, visit our Twitter pages at @GE_WattStation and @GE_IndSolutions and Facebook page at GE Energy Industrial Solutions.

 

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GE works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at http://www.ge.com.

GE also serves the energy sector by providing technology and service solutions that are based on a commitment to quality and innovation. The company continues to invest in new technology solutions and grow through strategic acquisitions to strengthen its local presence and better serve customers around the world. The businesses that comprise GE Energy--GE Power & Water, GE Energy Management and GE Oil & Gas--work together with more than 100,000 global employees and 2010 revenues of $38 billion, to provide integrated product and service solutions in all areas of the energy industry including coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy; renewable resources such as water, wind, solar and biogas; as well as other alternative fuels and new grid modernization technologies to meet 21st century energy needs.   About the Authority The Indianapolis Airport Authority (IAA) owns and operates Indiana's largest airport system. In addition to Indianapolis International Airport (IND), its facilities include the Downtown Heliport, Eagle Creek Airpark, Hendricks County Airport, Indianapolis Regional Airport and Metropolitan Airport. IND has received several prestigious awards recognizing it as a leader within its class. It was named the 2010 best North American airport by J.D. Power and Associates and best airport in North America by Airports Council International as part of its annual Airport Service Quality awards for performance excellence. IND is the first airport in the U.S. to win LEED(R) certification for an entire terminal campus, and the airport has won recognition for excellent customer service, concessions programs, and art and architecture.   IND's economic impact in Central Indiana is more than $3.3 billion annually, and about 10,000 people work at the airport each day. With some of the lowest fares in the United States, IND serves more than 7 million business and leisure travelers each year and averages 140 daily nonstop flights to 34 destinations. Home of the world's second-largest FedEx Express operation and the nation's eighth-largest cargo facility, IND is committed to becoming the airport system of choice for both passenger and cargo service. For more information, visit IND's Facebook page at Indianapolis International Airport and Twitter page at @INDairport.   About Energy Systems Network and Project Plug-IN Energy Systems Network (ESN) is a not-for-profit, industry-driven economic initiative focused on the development of Indiana's "clean tech" sector. ESN provides project development and coordination for joint ventures and cooperative partnerships between network members who are seeking to bring new energy technologies, products or applications to market. Project Plug-IN, one of ESN's initiatives, is a commercial scale pilot of plug-in electric vehicles and smart grid technology working together to demonstrate an energy efficient transportation system solution. ESN and Project Plug-IN received U.S. Department of Energy grant funding through the Indiana Office of Energy Development (IOED) for the deployment of electric vehicles and charging stations. By the spring of 2012, the grant funding will have facilitated the deployment of more than 125 plug-in vehicles and nearly 200 charging stations throughout the State of Indiana. For more information, visit www.energysystemsnetwork.com and www.projectplugin.com .   GE19364