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The second largest city in the Netherlands after Amsterdam, Rotterdam boasts the largest port in Europe — and until recently held the title for the largest port on earth. However, it also has another sizable distinction — its CO2 emissions are equal to those of New York, a city with a population more than 10 times greater. Due to that oversized carbon footprint, the Port of Rotterdam, which encompasses about one-third of the greater Rotterdam municipality, has just partnered with GE to find innovative technology solutions that will help turn the bustling commercial hub into a sustainable one.

Their ship’s come in: The agreement is closely tied to GE’s ecomagination and healthymagination initiatives, both of which help meet sustainability goals. Under ecomagination, GE develops solutions and technologies that are energy-efficient while healthymagination works to drive costs out of the system while simultaneously improving quality of care and increasing access. Pictured above is the Port of Rotterdam, seen when the Emma Mærsk is being unloaded. When launched in 2006, it was the largest container ship ever built. Photo: Vincent Jannink/AFP/Getty Images.

With much of its locomotive fleet nearly four decades old, Nigeria is eager to inject new technologies into its rail system as it embarks on widespread upgrades to its passenger and freight lines. As we reported in May, GE recently signed an agreement with the government of Nigeria that aims to throw open the door to a host of collaborations in transportation, oil and gas processing, electric power generation, water treatment, healthcare, aviation and integrated safety and security systems. As part of that goal, today the first of five GE locomotives arrived in the country — with 20 more slated for delivery later this year.

A new study released today suggests that 274,000 additional jobs can be added to the U.S. economy if the country sets a goal of having 25 percent of its electricity generated from renewable energy sources such as biomass, hydropower, solar, waste-to-energy and wind. An industry coalition that represents the largest renewable energy industries in the U.S. commissioned the “Job Impacts of a National Renewable Electricity Standard (RES)” research, which was conducted by independent firm Navigant Consulting, Inc. Traditional manufacturing states — and states in the Southeast that have traditionally leaned toward coal for power generation — stand to benefit the most, the study found.

A drive for cleaner energy is revving up in Brazil. In the Amazon, an ambitious project aimed at replacing power plants running on heavy fuel-oil with new, cleaner-burning natural gas engines from GE’s ecomagination line of more energy efficient technologies is underway. While near the eastern coast, two new power projects will mark the debut of GE’s wind turbines in the country.

A new group of GE Healthcare’s high-tech products just reached a key milestone — being certified as ecomagination products within the company. To join GE’s ecomagination portfolio, the technologies must complete tough environmental and operational tests that measurably show performance benefits for customers when compared to baselines such as competitors’ best products; the installed base of products; and regulatory standards. A third-party then verifies the claims. In essence, the healthcare technologies not only do their day-jobs — helping save lives — they simultaneously aid healthcare companies and hospitals in reducing costs and waste while positively impacting the environment. With today’s announcement, GE’s ecomagination portfolio of more than 85 products now includes two new healthcare products and three product categories, including the Centricity Enterprise Electronic Medical Record (EMR) solution.