GE Energy To Deliver World’s First 24-Cylinder Gas Engines to Commercial Tomato Greenhouse Operator in the Netherlands

New 4-MW Jenbacher engines to power special cogeneration plant as Europe presses for greater energy efficiency

JENBACH, AUSTRIA/HANOVER, GERMANY - April 2008 : – One of the largest commercial tomato greenhouse operators in The Netherlands will be the first field customer to utilize the world’s first 24-cylinder gas engine designed for power generation, GE Energy’s new 4-MW Jenbacher unit.

Two J624 GS engines are scheduled to be delivered by the beginning of May 2008 to Royal Pride Holland’s commercial tomato greenhouse in the Netherlands as a “pilot project” to demonstrate the viability of the new Jenbacher “type 6” engine family member.

The Netherlands is at the forefront of Europe’s efforts to encourage industries to expand their use of advanced cogeneration technology, including Jenbacher gas engines, to improve local energy efficiency and security while reducing fossil fuel consumption and overall site emissions.

Royal Pride Holland is installing the two natural gas-fueled J624 GS units as part of GE’s Jenbacher cogeneration/CO2 fertilization application to further improve tomato crop production and energy efficiency at the greenhouse, which is located in Middenmeer, 50 kilometers north of Amsterdam. The facility currently covers 45-hectare of surface area, but upon the project’s completion will expand to 102 hectare, making it one of the largest facilities in the Netherlands, a major international horticultural producer. Royal Pride Holland has previously installed nine of GE’s 3-MW JMS 620 Jenbacher units at the same location.

“Royal Pride Holland has long championed the use of new technology to increase the production and quality of its commercial horticultural products for the global marketplace,” said Frank van Kleef, Director of Royal Pride Holland and announced as the “agricultural businessman of 2008” by the Dutch Agricultural Minister, Gerda Verburg. “We are proud to be part of the commercial introduction of GE’s J624 GS, helping us further enhance our overall competitive position.”

GE’s most powerful Jenbacher model to enter commercial service, the J624 GS is a high-speed engine that combines the benefits of high-power density, low installation and operational costs as well as a low fuel consumption level. The new engine model provides the same high reliability as offered by the entire Jenbacher gas engine portfolio. The J624 GS was successfully evaluated on a “test bench” for nearly a year at GE Energy’s gas engine manufacturing center in Jenbach, Austria.

“The introduction of the J624 GS symbolizes GE’s commitment to be global leaders in introducing cost-effective, advanced on-site power solutions to help our customers improve their respective competitive positions,” said Prady Iyyanki, CEO of GE Energy’s Jenbacher gas engine business.

With a total efficiency level of more than 85%, the special Jenbacher cogeneration systems powered by the J624 GS units will offer Royal Pride Holland an economic supply of on-site electrical and thermal power-creating artificial lighting and heat, while also utilizing the engine’s own CO2 as a fertilizer-to extend the production calendar and increase crop output. In addition to supporting greenhouse operations, the electricity created by the cogeneration systems will be delivered to the local grid.

GE’s special cogeneration-CO2 fertilization technology was developed by its Jenbacher horticultural applications center of excellence in The Netherlands.

The Royal Pride Holland project is scheduled for commercial start-up in September, supported by a full service maintenance agreement that will cover the units for up to 60,000 operating hours or rather 15 years of service.

Further field projects utilizing natural gas will continue until the J624 GS engine becomes commercially available beginning in 2009.