Behind GE Vernova and Montana Tech's HVAC joint venture

GE Vernova, a global energy solutions provider, and Montana Technologies Corporation have formed a joint venture called AirJoule LLC to develop innovative heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) products with reduced environmental impact.

The partnership combines GE Vernova's proprietary sorbent materials and coating process with Montana's patented AirJoule dehumidification, air conditioning and atmospheric water harvesting technology.

Sorbents are materials that can absorb liquids or gases.

Addressing air conditioning energy use

Traditional air conditioning units can consume up to 4,100 watts per hour, potentially generating more than 4kg of greenhouse gas emissions for one hour of cooling if not powered by renewable energy.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that air conditioning accounts for 20% of electricity used in buildings and 10% of global electricity consumption.

This demand is projected to triple by 2050.

Matt Jore, Chief Executive Officer of Montana Technologies, says: "That's simply unsustainable.

"But, if you can reduce the energy consumption of air conditioning by 50% or 75%, that will make a big dent on greenhouse gas emissions."

Water scarcity solutions

The AirJoule technology aims to address both energy use and water scarcity by harvesting water from air humidity.

"Humidity in the air is one of the biggest challenges facing humanity, as it will continue to increase as humans continue to heat the earth and it is also a huge energy drain on conventional air conditioning systems," Matt adds.

"That's what AirJoule addresses."

The United Nations (UN) predicts that the global urban population facing water scarcity will double by 2050.

AirJoule's water harvesting capability could provide pure, distilled water for industries such as semiconductors, green hydrogen and pharmaceuticals.

Joint venture structure

AirJoule LLC will exclusively manufacture and supply air conditioning and atmospheric water harvesting products in the Americas, Africa and Australia.

GE Vernova has made an investment in Montana Technologies to support the collaboration.

“Each partner brought different parts of the IP needed for a full solution,” says Limor Spector, President of Ventures and Incubation at GE Vernova.

“That interlocking IP and the need for commercialization outside our core businesses made for a very compelling story for us to partner together.”

Bryan Barton will leave his role as Senior Director of Marketing, Ventures and Incubation at GE Vernova to lead the joint venture as CEO.

GE Vernova's Advanced Research team will provide support for research and development.

The formation of AirJoule LLC comes after of GE Vernova's planned spin-off from General Electric in April and represents one of the first transactions from GE Vernova's new ventures and incubation group.

Matt emphasises the importance of collaboration: "For partnerships to work, it's important to find like-minded people, good people who are motivated by these higher goals.

"The GE Vernova team has people like that, and that means we are all working together in the same direction."

COP29 ushers in era of collaboration

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) holds its Conference of the Parties (COP) annually.

This event serves as the primary meeting for parties to the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement.

The COP brings together heads of state, policymakers, scientific experts and representatives from civil society organisations and the private sector.

Attendees review the implementation of climate agreements, negotiate new commitments and discuss innovative solutions to address climate change.

At these conferences, delegates aim to advance global climate action through collaborative decision-making and policy development.

COP provides a platform for countries to report on their progress, share best practices and collectively work towards meeting international climate goals.

Roger Martella, Group Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer at GE Vernova, says: “Working alongside some of the greatest minds in this industry is one of the best parts of my job."

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