DOE Awards $7.6 Million Grant for Development of High-Efficiency, Low-Emissions Engines

The U.S. Dept. of Energy has awarded a $7.6 million grant to Waukesha Engine, Waukesha, Wis., a business unit of Dallas-based Dresser, for a product development effort that will improve engine efficiency and further reduce emissions levels. The grant is a continuation of the Waukesha Engine-DOE partnership that began in 2001 as part of the DOE’s Advanced Reciprocating Engine Systems (ARES) program.

The ARES program was created to encourage the development of large natural gas engines that operate with increased efficiency while meeting tight emissions requirements, maintaining current levels of reliability and durability and reducing ownership costs.

In the first phase of the ARES program, Waukesha developed an engine that is currently undergoing field testing and will be introduced at the Power Gen International Show in Las Vegas from Dec. 6 through 8. The APG is intended for the world power generation market where it will be used to run generators that produce electricity. “We met our thermal efficiency requirements for the first phase of the ARES program, achieving over 42% thermal efficiency,” said Jim Drees, vice president of engineering for Waukesha. In Phase Two, the company’s development efforts will be focused on attaining a goal of 47% thermal efficiency. “The higher natural gas prices climb the more important practical technology like ARES becomes,” Drees said. “Advanced technologies such as those designed into our new APG engine reduce fuel consumption and help to offset high fuel prices.”

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