U.S. Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-New Hartford, N.Y.) announced a $500,000 Department of Energy grant for ECR International in Utica, N.Y., for new energy-saving technology, micro-cogeneration. The grant will allow ECR to develop and commercialize a device to enable gas-fired home heating appliances to simultaneously generate electricity and heat, ultimately cutting consumer utility bills and provide back-up power in the event of an electricity outage.