WALTHAM, Mass., March 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Tecogen Inc. today announced that the Medina, New York waste water treatment plant will install a Tecogen 60 kW combined heat and power (CHP) system to help produce greater energy efficiency. The site has been awarded a Green Infrastructure Grant, administered by the Environmental Facilities Corp., which is helping fund efficiency upgrades such as the addition of this Tecogen cogeneration system.

The Medina waste water treatment plant has been the community's largest power consumer.  Now, the electricity produced by the Tecogen system will be fed into the power grid, which is expected to offset the high level of electricity consumption.  The electric generator on the Tecogen system is driven by an engine that will be fueled by the biogas produced by the treatment of waste sludge.  This biogas production process utilizes anaerobic digesters which need to be maintained at a constant temperature, nearing one hundred degrees Fahrenheit.  Much of this heating will be provided by the cogeneration process of capturing the heat from burning the biogas.  It is projected that the reduction in natural gas and electricity costs associated with the function of the plant will initially exceed $10,000 annually.

"Medina is going green," said Peter Houseknecht, supervisor of public works for Medina.  "Like many other communities we are trying to become net-zero; we want to consume only as much energy as we can create.  The addition of the Tecogen CHP system to the waste water treatment plant will allow us to make a substantial amount of usable energy from what was once just a byproduct of the treatment process.  Adding CHP to the solar PV panels, geothermal heat pumps, efficient lighting upgrades and other energy saving measures will bring our plant to the cutting edge of efficiency technology."

"Though we considered other CHP solutions, a Tecogen 60 kW CHP system was the best fit for this site," said Ram Shrivastava, CEO of Larsen Engineers, plant upgrade designers.  "Our decision was based upon the system's practicality, dependability and local availability.  Tecogen's natural gas engine driven cogeneration technology is proven, and efficient even when running at partial load capacities. The plant is currently producing enough biogas to generate about 40 kW of electricity though more biogas may be produced in the future.  Finally, the flexibility of the Tecogen system to produce up to 60 kW of electricity means that we will have room to grow."

Manufactured in Massachusetts, the Tecogen system meets Buy America standards, an important stipulation of the Green Infrastructure Grant.  The Tecogen CHP system will be fully served by Tecogen service technicians to ensure optimal operation for the village of Medina. 

About Tecogen

Tecogen manufactures highly efficient, ultra-clean Combined Heat and Power (CHP) products including natural gas engine-driven cogeneration, air conditioning systems, and high-efficiency water heaters for industrial and commercial use. Tecogen has an installed base of more than 2,100 units, supported by an established network of engineering, sales, and service personnel across the United States.  For more information, please visit www.tecogen.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, as disclosed on the Company's website and in Securities and Exchange Commission filings. This press release does not constitute an offer to buy or sell securities by the Company, its subsidiaries or any associated party and is meant purely for informational purposes. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, even if subsequently made available by the Company on its website or otherwise. The Company does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements provided to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

Tecogen Media Contact Information:     
Melinda M. Furse 
Tecogen Inc.  
P: 781-466-6444     
E: melinda.furse@tecogen.com          

Pat Arcand
Arcand & Madison PR
P: 617-251-7778
E: pat@am-pr.com

Tecogen Investor Contact Information:    
John Hatsopoulos
P: 781-622-1120
E: jhatsopoulos@tecogen.com

SOURCE Tecogen Inc.