Thursday, May 24, 2012
In order to leverage the researches and obtain favorable results in Brazil, GE announced an investment of $252 million in the Global Research Center in Ilha do Fundão (state of Rio de Janeiro). In addition, GE do Brasil launched on this Thursday (May 24) the Cornerstone of the project, scheduled for completion in the second half of 2013. The total investment will be completed within five years, after the Global Research Center has entered into full operation. The new center will generate 200 jobs initially, with total capacity for 400 researchers.
Thus, until the new space is ready, GE will continue to work in the Technological Park of UFRJ, where it has been since September last year, and has over 50 professionals working in three areas of research: Biofuels, Intelligent Systems and Integration Systems. "Thanks to this pioneering model for Brazil, our Global Research Center will have then more than one Center of Excellence. It will be focused on developing innovations to Subsea, which will meet the particularities related to the pre-salt and other opportunities," said Ken Herd, leader of the GE's Global Research Center in Brazil.
The Global Research Center has works in progress in the three Centers of Excellence already established. On Biofuels, we can highlight the researches on vinasse and bagasse, biofuels for aviation and natural gas-powered locomotives. The Center of Excellence in Intelligent Systems works in advanced automation, diagnostics for electric power, oil and gas industry, aviation and land transport. Works with optimization for transport, optimization of mine-port route and logistics efficiency are the priorities in Systems Integration.
