Marathon Engine Systems: Wisconsin manufacturer pursuing state and federal avenues to create clean energy jobs

Contact: Joshua Morby 414.791.9120

Measures would cut costs, create jobs and slash greenhouse gas emissions

WASHINGTON, DC – Wisconsin-based Marathon Engine Systems joined more than 80 business, labor, environmental, and government organizations this week in urging Congress to adopt new tax policy to enhance energy efficiency in order to simultaneously increase manufacturing competitiveness, create jobs, and reduce pollution.

Marathon has also been working closely with members of the Wisconsin Legislature and authors of the Clean Energy Jobs Act to include language recognizing the value of their high efficiency unit (ecopower), which is capable of heating water and generating electricity for residential and light industrial applications.

At the federal level, Marathon and other supporters sent letters to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee asking for tax credits to expand use of combined heat and power (CHP) technology, which would vastly improve energy efficiency.

Here in Wisconsin, Marathon Engine has been working with legislators who represent not only the 650 workers Marathon employs directly, but the elected officials representing the more than 25 other Wisconsin companies (representing more than 1,000 jobs) from which Marathon Engine purchases parts and supplies necessary to keep the operation going.

“The focus of our efforts is truly centered on creating and sustaining clean energy jobs in Wisconsin,” said Mike Cocking, General Manager of Marathon Engine. “We’re hopeful the legislature and Governor recognize the value of these jobs and work with us to protect them.

“Residential and light industrial applications of combined heat and power technology just haven’t received sufficient attention in the quest for energy efficiency.”

Waste energy recovery, which captures waste heat from industrial facilities, now receives no tax benefits. CHP, a process by which manufacturers generate electricity and heat on site, receives only a 10 percent investment tax credit for the first 15 megawatts of a project limited to 50 megawatts in size.

The federal bills now in the House and Senate would remove the limitation to small projects and apply the tax credit to a project’s first 25 megawatts (S. 1639 and H.R. 4144), as well provide a 30 percent credit for recycled energy and CHP with efficiencies above 70 percent (H.R. 4751).

Located in East Troy, WI, Marathon Engine Systems is a global provider of products engineered toward prime and remote power applications. For more information, please visit http://www.marathonengine.com.