Generac Acquires Equity Stake in WATT Fuel Cell

Companies Plan to Collaborate to Deliver Industry-Leading Residential Energy Fuel Cell Systems


WAUKESHA, Wis., Dec. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Generac Power Systems, Inc. (NYSE: GNRC) (“Generac”), a leading global designer and manufacturer of energy technology solutions and other power products, today announced a minority equity investment in WATT Fuel Cell Corp (“WATT”), a leading developer and manufacturer of low emissions Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ("SOFC") stacks and systems. WATT’s Imperium™ fuel cell makes power with no combustion and low emissions, using an electrochemical process that generates electricity from hydrogen molecules derived from one of several readily available fuel options such as propane, natural gas, or hydrogen.

Generac and WATT plan to collaborate on the design and development of low-emission solutions supporting the resiliency needs of Generac’s customers. The companies will combine WATT’s highly reliable, low-emission technology with Generac’s clean energy portfolio of products, which includes microinverters and battery storage system solutions.

“We are excited about this investment in WATT Fuel Cell and look forward to collaborating towards the integration of this advanced technology into the Generac Home Energy Ecosystem,” said Patrick Forsythe, chief technical officer at Generac. “The combination of highly efficient fuel cells with solar and energy storage, provides a low-carbon solution for homeowners seeking resilience and energy independence.”

“Generac is the perfect partner to assist us in accelerating the development and commercialization of our fuel cell power generation technology,” said Caine Finnerty, president and co-founder of WATT. “Generac’s strong expertise in residential home resiliency and clean energy products will provide access to a national base of installation partners, thereby accelerating the path to a low carbon future. We look forward to all the incredible opportunities this partnership will provide.”

As a part of the investment, a member of the Generac executive team will join the WATT board of directors. The investment closed on November 23, 2022.

About Generac

Generac is a leading energy technology company that provides backup and prime power systems for home and industrial applications, solar + battery storage solutions, smart home energy management devices and energy services, advanced power grid software platforms and engine- and battery-powered tools and equipment. Founded in 1959, Generac introduced the first affordable backup generator and later created the category of automatic home standby generator. The company is committed to sustainable, cleaner energy products poised to revolutionize the 21st century electrical grid.

About WATT Fuel Cell

WATT Fuel Cell Corp (www.wattfuelcell.com) is a manufacturer and developer of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ("SOFC") stacks and systems that operate on common, readily available fuels such as propane and natural gas. WATT's proprietary, patented additive manufacturing process (AMP) has allowed them to produce commercially viable SOFC products for small scale and remote power applications. WATT's Hybrid Power Management system works in tandem with renewable power sources (Solar & Wind) and energy storage to provide quiet, efficient, affordable, and environmentally responsible energy solutions prioritizing a return on investment for customers across the globe.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this news release, as well as other information provided from time to time by Generac Holdings Inc. or its employees, may contain forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements give Generac's current expectations and projections relating to the Company's financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance and business. You can identify forward-looking statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements may include words such as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "project," "plan," "intend," "believe," "confident," "may," "should," "can have," "likely," "future," “optimistic” and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of the timing or nature of future operating or financial performance or other events.

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Contact: Tami Kou
Tami.Kou@Generac.com
262-544-4811 Ext. 3950