Current, GE's innovative energy company, recently announced a strategic partnership with Tianjin government on its intelligent city development during the visit of Bill Ruh, GE Digital CEO, which will enable Intelligent infrastructure by integrating networked lightings with the industrial strength Predix platform.  

With vision to Build Intelligent Environments for city with GE software powered LED solutions, Current, in China has aligned efforts with Tianjin government in its CBD area Yujiapu, Binhai New Area for a 1 Square Kilometer intelligent lighting Pilot Project, which serves as the key demonstration project in China to showcase smart city concepts. The whole project is based on the "intelligent and low carbon" concept equipped with GE LED intelligent lighting system that will integrate into GE Predix Platform to build Tianjininto the first green and energy efficient demonstration city in China. "By cooperation with our local partner, we are extremely proud of the many benefits that our LED and intelligent technology will have for the city, the installation introduces a technology that provides significant energy savings and will allow the city to shine smarter." said Henry Eng, President and CEO of GE Lighting Asia. 

A diagram of what the smart city system in Tianjin entails under the agreement it signed with GE Energy startup company Current. (All photos courtesy of GE)

"With energy efficient LED installation base we have for Tianjin pilot project, now Current enables us and city management to use and analyze data to solve challenges and create new opportunities for city workers and residents, " explained by Mr. Chang, President and Chairman of Tianjin High-Trend Company, "which will promote people's well-being and happiness, as well as better public resources and city assets management  solution,  including Wi-Fi coverage, public information, promotion and communication, monitoring coverage, congestion warning, air quality monitoring, integral illumination intelligent control system, cloud platform management system and relevant intelligent city APPs."

Tapping into China central government strategy to encourage public innovations, GE also shared its plan to build Digital Center in Shanghai, and scale to build Makerspace (innovation center) for intelligent cities throughout China, through opening Predix platform for general availability and unleash developer community to create software solutions and an industrial app economy, aiming to unlock tremendous values for municipal customers on this platform.

"We are also scaling this business model in other cities like Shanxi Province and have discussions about talent cooperation with many local universities. These entrepreneurial talent incubation bases will provide young talents with innovating opportunities, investors with new business opportunities." Explained Zhang Chao, GM of Current China Intelligent City Project.

GE Current's Predix platform integrates LED streetlights, solar panels, electric vehicles and energy storage devices.

As a bridge between the Internet and the Internet of Things, Predix can combine public information collected by sensors installed in data transmission centers with practical problems and provide information service for the government and the public. For example, DuraStation, the intelligent electric charges built along roads remind drivers as soon as vehicles are fully charged; intelligent streetlights detect traffic congestion and save drivers' time. Predix platform can even contribute to cities' safety by recording real-time videos. Above proposals were under discussions in the conversation.

A group photo of GE representatives and Tianjin government officials that attended the talks in Tianjin, China.