WALTHAM, Mass., Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Tecogen^® Inc. (NASDAQ: TGEN, the "Company") is pleased to announce the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) has awarded research grant funding for the Company's proposal to develop the breakthrough Ultera® ultra-clean emissions control technology for the propane powered fork truck market. Although Tecogen has granted rights to the Ultera emissions control technology for vehicles to a joint venture affiliate (Ultra Emissions Technologies Ltd. or "ULTRATEK"), their development rights specifically exclude fork trucks, which remain the exclusive purview of Tecogen. 

"This grant award is yet another demonstration of Tecogen pushing Ultera into new applications and verticals. Fork trucks are often used inside large warehouses where indoor air quality is a serious concern. Eliminating pollutants from vehicles operating indoors is important to the fork truck industry and their customers," said Robert Panora, Tecogen's President, Chief Operating Officer, and one of the inventors of the Ultera system.  "Ultera has proven incredibly effective at nearly eliminating emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), and non-methane hydrocarbons for a variety of engines. We are optimistic about the potential to produce similarly compelling results for propane fork trucks," added Mr. Panora.

Electric fork trucks have been making significant in-roads in the fork truck industry, in part, because of their green image and indoor air quality benefit. The primary benefit of the Ultera–equipped ultra-clean propane fork truck will be fuel cell like emissions and a propane-green brand that offers a robust indoor air quality advantage without compromising vehicle performance. The project will assess the adaption of Tecogen's near-zero emissions technology for the fork truck category and demonstrate the technical performance on popular propane fork truck models. Select industry-leading fork truck manufacturers are also participating in the research initiative.

A leading provider of cost efficient, clean and reliable products for power production, heating and cooling which, through patented technology, nearly eliminate criteria pollutants and significantly reduce a customer's carbon footprint, Tecogen's Ultera emissions control technology was first developed for the natural gas powered stationary engine market. More recently, the technology has been adapted for other applications, including biogas powered engines, and is being studied for other mobile engine categories, including the gasoline automotive market. The Company continues to actively pursue development of the cutting edge Ultera emissions control technology in other engine categories (like fork trucks and standby generators) for the benefit of Tecogen shareholders.

About The Propane Education & Research Council
The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is a nonprofit organization established, operated, and funded by the propane industry. PERC drives technology development to expand adoption of propane as a clean, American-made, affordable energy source and leads safety and training efforts among propane retailers and consumers. PERC programs benefit a variety of industries including fleet vehicle management, landscaping, residential and commercial building, agriculture, and material handling. For more information, visit www.propane.com.  

About Tecogen
Tecogen^® Inc. designs, manufactures, sells, installs, and maintains high efficiency, ultra-clean, cogeneration products including natural gas engine-driven combined heat and power, air conditioning systems, and high-efficiency water heaters for residential, commercial, recreational and industrial use. The company is known for cost efficient, environmentally friendly and reliable products for energy production that, through patented technology, nearly eliminate criteria pollutants and significantly reduce a customer's carbon footprint.

In business for over 20 years, Tecogen has shipped more than 2,300 units, supported by an established network of engineering, sales, and service personnel across the United States. For more information, please visit www.tecogen.com  or contact us for a free Site Assessment.  

Tecogen, InVerde, Ilios, Tecochill, Ultera, and e⁺, are registered trademarks or trademark pending registration of Tecogen Inc.

Forward Looking Statements
This press release may contain 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. 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.

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SOURCE Tecogen Inc.