PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: JULY 1, 2015
Media Contact: Dr. Rolf D. Reitz (608) 262-0145; reitz@wisc.edu
Wisconsin Engine Research Consultants
(WERC), LLC Awarded $2.6 Million from ARPA-E
for Transformational Energy Technology
Madison, WI – Wisconsin Engine Research Consultants (WERC), LLC today announced that it has
received a competitive $2.6 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research
Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). The funding from this award will be used to develop generator
technologies for residential Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems.
“This funding will enable the development of disruptive small engine technologies such as spark
assisted homogeneous charge compression ignition (SA-HCCI) combustion,” said Dr. Rolf D. Reitz,
WERC’s principal investigator. “Wide spread CHP adoption has the potential to save more than 5
quadrillion BTU in primary energy and reduce U.S. CO2 emissions associated with electrical power
generation by 10%.”
Madison-based WERC, LLC is an innovator in internal combustion engine technologies. WERC is
teaming with Briggs & Stratton Corporation, the University of Wisconsin – Madison’s Engine Research
Center, and Adiabatics Inc. Compared to conventional electricity generation and transmission, CHP
requires significantly less fuel to meet a facility’s electricity and heating needs. Further development of
CHP systems in the residential sector will lead to significant savings of energy, large reduction of CO2
emissions, reduced fresh water withdrawal for electricity generation, and increased power reliability.
WERC, LLC received its competitive award from ARPA-E’s GENerators for Small Electrical and
Thermal Systems (GENSETS) program, which will develop potentially transformational generator
technologies to enable widespread deployment of CHP systems. The advancement of CHP systems
will ultimately result in substantial energy cost savings.
ABOUT
WERC, LLC was founded in 1999. For additional information about WERC, LLC, please visit www.werc.com.
###