Green Innovations

Developing renewable and clean technology companies in New York

Monday, December 21, 2009

GE Global Research completing $100 million renovation at its technology center in Upstate New York


Upstate New York is the home base for GE Global Research with more than 1,900 employees working on the frontiers of science and technology. GE  opened the first industrial research & development laboratory in the United States here in 1900.  It was a barn in the backyard of the home of scientist Charles Steinmetz. Today, GE's global research headquarters is a world-class, multi-disciplinary technology center spread over 525 acres overlooking majestic Mohawk River in Niskayuna, Upstate New York.  Areas of focus at the research center include electronic systems, alternative energies, biosciences, nanotechnology and polymer materials.

GE is in the final stages of a $100 million renovation to the facility that has added a new building wing to house nanotechnology and biosciences programs as well as state-of-the-art wet labs.

GE Global Research was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy as one of 46 new multi-million-dollar Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) being established across the country. The focus of GE's EFRC will be on advanced energy storage technologies and the pursuit of a zero carbon emissions solution for both transportation and stationary power applications.


The EFRCs were formed to pursue advanced scientific research on energy to help the nation become more energy independent. Of the 46 EFRCs selected, 31 are led by universities, 12 by DOE National Laboratories and two by nonprofit organizations. GE Global Research has the distinction of being the only corporate research laboratory chosen to lead an EFRC,