Ultrasystems to Produce Small Cogeneration Plants

Ultrasystems Inc. of Irvine unveiled plans Thursday to produce small cogeneration power plants that will be used to generate heat and electricity at such commercial establishments as laundries, restaurants, hotels and hospitals.

The company has several experimental units operating and expects to start selling units commercially this summer through its newly formed subsidiary, Micro Cogen Systems Inc., said Phillip J. Stevens, the company’s chairman and president.

He said the units represent a “breakthrough” because engineers have been unable until recently to scale down the huge 1- to 100-megawatt cogeneration power plants for economical use in smaller buildings.

The company presented the plan for the small power plants, which produce no more than 100 kilowatts of electricity, to investment bankers at the annual Independent Power Producers Alternative Energy Technology Seminar in San Diego.