The initiative includes multiple maintenance protocols to help customers lower GHG emissions and reduce their carbon footprint.
Kohler says the programme supports its Better Planet environmental sustainability strategy that focuses on reducing environmental impact across our operations, helping its customers reduce their environmental footprints, and driving transparency and accountability around the ambitions that it makes. It adds that the initiative ties into the overall commitment to redefining energy resilience with more environmentally friendly solutions—for individuals, businesses, and communities.
Two options are now available as part of Conscious Care. The first to be rolled out is the fuel-saving No-Load Exercise, which enables a diesel generator’s regular monthly exercise to be run without load and still avoid any "wet stacking".
This allows customers to reduce GHG emissions by 40% per year compared to loaded cycles, while also delivering a 44% reduction in fuel consumption – therefore meeting regulations and reducing fuel costs. Meanwhile, the four-month Extended Exercise goes even further. Customers can perform the test every four months with no load, reducing total GHG emissions by 69% and fuel consumption by 71%. In addition, the Conscious Care maintenance program enables an operating method that reduces noise emissions and appearance of black smoke at cold start.
Customers can choose the option that best suits their maintenance schedule and regulatory requirements.
The industry’s previous solution for wet stacking has been to exercise generators at 30% of their rated capacity once a month to burn off unused fuel and prevent build-up. Kohler has deployed the latest engine technologies on its KD Series engines to reduce the need for this costly procedure. With Conscious Care, Kohler diesel generators can run loaded as infrequently as once per year.
“Thanks to our expertise, we have been able to rethink maintenance and find more environmentally friendly solutions to reduce customers’ GHG emissions,” said Charles Hunsucker, power systems president. “Another step in our journey to creating a Better Planet, the new Conscious Care program gives tangible benefits to our mission-critical customers and demonstrates our support in their journeys towards more sustainable back-up power solutions.”
If the customer chooses to use HVO fuel (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) instead of fossil fuel, it reduces the carbon footprint even further, by as much as 90%, throughout the product’s life cycle. All KD Series generators are compatible with HVO fuel.
