OREANDA-NEWS. October 2, 2012. GE (NYSE: GE) today announced the opening of its newly constructed Grid IQ™ Global Innovation Centre in Markham, Ontario. The state-of-the-art, 200,000-square-foot facility is designed to foster innovation and global collaboration to improve the efficiency, reliability and security of the world’s electrical grids. The USD40 million project is supported by a grant of USD7.9 million from the Government of Ontario.

The new facility includes 100,000 square feet of production space and will help GE meet both current and future product demands as utilities around the world continue to look for ways to improve their energy infrastructures. To support that growth, the facility also incorporates on-site research, test and simulation laboratories giving GE engineers easy access to the tools needed to help utility and industrial customers solve their toughest energy challenges. The building includes a technical training centre providing both on-site and distance learning offerings for GE employees, partners and customers.

“Markham is a great place for GE to locate this new facility,” said Juan Macias, general manager, Grid Automation. “We are investing in innovation, and this new facility demonstrates our commitment to ongoing research and development in substation and distribution automation as well as electrical grid protection and control. As the global centre of excellence for grid automation, we will be collaborating on innovative solutions with customers, partners and academics around the world.”

“Today, we’ve reached another milestone in making Ontario a smart grid leader as we celebrate innovation, entrepreneurial spirit and invention. Companies like GE are taking bold steps to make the smart grid a reality and enhance reliability of our energy system,” said Chris Bentley, Minister of Energy.

“The Ontario government is proud to support this significant investment in our province. We applaud GE for recognizing that Ontario is well positioned to help it innovate the next generation of energy solutions,” said Brad Duguid, Minister of Economic Development and Innovation.

One of the most innovative areas of the facility is the Grid IQ Customer Experience Centre and application showcase, which allows customers to take an interactive, immersive look at GE’s full suite of energy management tools on a 60-foot video wall.

“The opening of the Grid IQ Innovation Centre in Markham is our third centre for innovation in Canada this year,” said Elyse Allan, president and CEO, GE Canada. “Executing and commercializing innovation is essential to driving economic growth and productivity. We appreciate the support and leadership from the Province of Ontario to make today’s opening a reality.”

The Grid IQ Innovation Centre builds on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) GE signed with the Ontario government in September 2009 to partner and invest long term within the province to establish new or expanded centres of technology and advanced manufacturing. Under the MOU, GE has opened the company’s first Digital Pathology Centre of Excellence in Toronto and has made investments for advanced manufacturing and training in the GE Motors, Peterborough facility.

GE’s other Canadian innovation centres include a recently opened Customer Innovation Centre in Calgary, Alberta; the Aircraft Engine Testing Research and Development Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba; and a new Aviation robotics facility in Bromont, Quebec, which will open in early 2013.