GE Vernova Targets EV-Ready Grids in Sustainability Plan
GE Vernova has marked one year as a public company by outlining how its manufacturing operations and sustainability goals work together to support global electrification and emissions reduction.
Through a four-pillar approach - Electrify, Decarbonise, Conserve and Thrive - the company reports on measurable targets, internal governance and business outcomes as it aims to contribute directly to global climate action.
At the heart of the energy transition
With more than 100 manufacturing sites across more than 25 countries, GE Vernova produces the hardware and software that powers grid infrastructure, including gas turbines, solar inverters, wind blades and modular nuclear reactors.
The company operates with a procurement footprint that includes 109 countries and raw material spending of US$20bn.
Last year, GE Vernova generated US$35bn in revenue, backed by a US$119bn project backlog.
It describes itself as the world’s “energy manufacturer,” a title grounded in more than a century of engineering history dating to Thomas Edison.
EV energy and grid innovation for a growing world
In 2024, GE Vernova delivered 31 GW of new generation capacity, equivalent to the electricity needs of Virginia, and 71 GW of grid-enabling capacity, similar in scale to South Africa’s entire grid.
This capacity includes technology for integrating renewable power sources and stabilising supply.
To support this growth, the company deployed 310,000 automation devices and 6 GW of solar inverter technology.
EV adoption depends on stable and responsive grid systems.
Technologies like GridOS and GridBeats, GE Vernova’s AI-enabled grid management tools, help balance supply and demand, which is vital for managing EV charging infrastructure and the increased load it places on national grids.
Around 25% of global electricity now flows through GE Vernova systems.
Of that, 62% of new generation and 34% of grid-enabling capacity supported developing and emerging markets, including major projects in Iraq, Turkey, Ghana, Indonesia and Nigeria.
These regions often experience grid instability and supply gaps that hinder EV adoption, so improved infrastructure here supports wider transition goals.
Scott Strazik, CEO of GE Vernova, says: “I'm more confident and optimistic than ever about delivering on our mission to electrify and decarbonise the world.”
“We are not just imagining the future of energy, we are shaping it.”
GE Vernova is targeting an additional 150 GW of capacity by 2030. It is also preparing for electricity demand linked to AI and data centres, expected to account for 12% of US electricity consumption by 2035.
Small modular nuclear reactors like the BWRX-300 and high-efficiency gas turbines are designed to provide consistent power where needed – including co-located supply for data centres and fast-charging EV hubs.
Emissions, efficiency and circular production targets
The company says that it has helped avoid 27 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions through cleaner generation and higher system efficiency.
Average carbon intensity of the new capacity installed in 2024 was 368 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour, around 20% lower than the global grid average.
Gross Scope 3 emissions, those from the company’s wider value chain, fell 38% to 796 million metric tonnes.
Scope 1 and 2 emissions, covering direct operations and energy used, dropped 51% from 2019 levels.
The company attributes this fall to large-scale investments in process improvements, not reliance on renewable energy credits.
Its 2030 target remains full carbon neutrality in direct operations.
GE Vernova’s long-term decarbonisation strategy is based on four core technologies: small modular reactors, hydrogen systems, carbon capture and direct air capture.
Research and development, along with cross-sector collaboration, is pushing each of these solutions toward broader deployment.
Circularity is rising on the company’s agenda. In 2024, 38% of top-selling products were part of its 4R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover) framework, up from 23% in the previous year.
GE Vernova wants to raise this to 90% by 2030.
More than half of product lines are now supported by either Life Cycle Assessments or Environmental Product Declarations, helping guide environmentally responsible decisions at design and supply stages.
Water use across operations hit 2.7bn gallons, with 1.9bn gallons used for once-through cooling.
Eleven environmental spills and two wastewater exceedances were reported, but there were no air quality breaches.
Governance, investment and EV implications
Sustainability oversight at GE Vernova is managed through a council structure chaired by the Chief Sustainability Officer, who reports directly to the CEO and board.
This includes 20 business functions, covering areas from safety and operations to legal and workplace culture and is designed to keep strategy aligned with global ESG standards.
In 2024, GE Vernova spent US$1.2bn on research and development and plans to invest US$9bn in capital and R&D between now and 2028.
This funding will develop advanced grid systems, low-carbon fuels and new power generation platforms that are central to wider EV infrastructure deployment.
As EV uptake accelerates, power systems must deliver consistent and scalable output.
GE Vernova’s investments in small nuclear reactors, AI-enabled grids and hydrogen-ready turbines are geared towards meeting this demand.
It also aims to ensure manufacturing systems that produce EV-supporting infrastructure remain low-carbon and circular by design.
“I'm proud of our sustainability performance and the impacts made possible thanks to our manufacturing strength and our employees who drive it,” says Hon. Roger Martella, Chief Corporate Officer & Sustainability Officer.
“They operate supply chains building some of the most complex equipment the planet needs.”
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