#ThrottleUp: GEnx Super-Efficient Jet Engine Hologram Experience at Creative Week

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New York City is hosting Creative Week this week, May 7-11. The week includes a number of interesting events, but I’m just seeing one related to cleantech — GE’s Throttle Up event and experience. Throttle Up, located at 56 Water Street in DUMBO, Brooklyn from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm all week, is a “massive interactive hologram experience” that uses some of the most state-of-the-art technology (see below) to focus people’s attention on the power of the GEnx jet engine.

Of course, the cleantech part of this is that the GEnx is wicked efficient. The GEnx cuts NOx emissions as much as 55% below current regulatory limits, and it cuts other gases as much as 90% below such limits. While it would be great to switch to a sustainable, zero-emission fuel for all flights, it’s clear that’s not happening any time soon. Until it does, we need continued advancements in the efficiency of the engines that power our planes, so it’s great to see the GEnx going far beyond requirements.

"GEnx engine is powering through a water ingestion test."

What’s the secret to the great efficiency of this completely hand-built jet engine? It’s made of a lightweight (very lightweight) composite material that GE says it spent two decades developing. “The tough, carbon-fiber epoxy resin is corrosion resistant, lighter than titanium alloys, and shaves some 400 pounds off each engine.” This composite is also used for the fan blades of the GE90, another super-efficient jet engine I wrote about in March that holds the title as the largest and most powerful jet engine ever built.

Alongside the interactive hologram experience in Brooklyn this week, you can follow news about events related to it on Twitter using the hashtag #ThrottleUp, for those of you who (like me) can’t make it to Brooklyn.

The following are some of the technologies and products that have gone into the hologram:

  • 3D renderings by Oscar-winning FX company
  • TACT (touch, real time analytics and control technologies)
  • Softkinetic sensor camera
  • Unity gaming engine
  • Musion Eyeliner projection technology
  • Reactive, REAL, custom designed, sound and sensory components

According to GE, this is largest audience-controlled hologram experience. It’s probably the closest we’ll get to building a jet engine, and being a part of the GEnx build — even a hologram version — sounds like an amazing achievement.

Top Image via creativeweek/Instagram; all others via GE


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Zachary Shahan

Zach is tryin' to help society help itself one word at a time. He spends most of his time here on CleanTechnica as its director, chief editor, and CEO. Zach is recognized globally as an electric vehicle, solar energy, and energy storage expert. He has presented about cleantech at conferences in India, the UAE, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, the USA, Canada, and Curaçao. Zach has long-term investments in Tesla [TSLA], NIO [NIO], Xpeng [XPEV], Ford [F], ChargePoint [CHPT], Amazon [AMZN], Piedmont Lithium [PLL], Lithium Americas [LAC], Albemarle Corporation [ALB], Nouveau Monde Graphite [NMGRF], Talon Metals [TLOFF], Arclight Clean Transition Corp [ACTC], and Starbucks [SBUX]. But he does not offer (explicitly or implicitly) investment advice of any sort.

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