With the energy crisis and worldwide financial crunch grabbing all the headlines these days, two organizations - Recaptured Energy Technologies and the Engine Repower Council - may offer viable solutions in those areas.

Chicago-based Recaptured Energy Technologies has developed a new hydraulic braking and propulsion system for fleet, commercial and transit vehicles that can be retrofitted to existing vehicles. The system captures wasted brake energy from frequent braking and converts it to an auxiliary source of energy to power the vehicle, increasing fuel efficiency and reducing harmful emissions.

"The unique benefit of our system is that it can be retrofitted to existing vehicles, so there is no need to purchase new alternative-energy vehicles that may not provide anticipated fuel economy," said Sam Jones, president of Recaptured Energy Technologies. "Because the system is specifically designed to be retrofitted, existing vehicles will see lower emissions, less engine management and reduced fuel consumption."

The company also offers consulting services, including Drive Cycle Analysis, Asset Utilization Analysis and Return on Investment Analysis. For more information, call 312-214-7266.

The Engine Repower Council, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating consumers about the economic and environmental benefits of remanufactured/rebuilt engines, recommends repowering a vehicle's engine as a way consumers can significantly reduce costs and save money in the long run.

According to Edmonds.com, the average car loan payment is $479 per month, which, over four years, adds up to almost $23,000 that can be saved if those payments don't have to be made. At the cost of a down payment on a new car, repowering can be a very sound and attractive investment, says the Council.

With repowering, a worn-out engine or an identical one from another like-vehicle is completely disassembled, cleaned, machined and remanufactured/rebuilt. Unlike used or junkyard engines with unknown performance and maintenance histories, repowered engines are dependable, reliable and backed by excellent warranty programs.

"People don't realize how much money they are losing by buying or leasing a new car every few years when today's vehicles can last over 200,000 miles," said Steve Rich, chairman of the Engine Repower Council. "The bottom line is that a repowered engine makes a vehicle more dependable, more fuelefficient, less polluting and more valuable."

For more information about the Engine Repower Council and where to find qualified rebuilt engines and installation providers, visit www. enginerepower.org.

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