{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Not Your Father’s Data Center","title":"Beyond Generators – Building Energy Ecosystems for Tomorrow","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1477,"description":"In this episode, Raymond Hawkins, Chief Revenue Officer at Compass Datacenters, sits down with Brad Meissner, Director of Product Management at Generac and proud Milwaukee native. Brad shares his journey from growing up as a farm kid in southeast Wisconsin to earning a mechanical engineering degree from the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and ultimately leading Generac’s industrial stationary generator line.\nThe discussion explores Generac’s bold entrance into the data center market with the recent launch of high-capacity (2.25–3.25 MW) generator sets—addressing pressing supply chain and lead time challenges within mission-critical power. Brad delves into Generac’s evolution from primarily consumer backup power solutions into a fully-fledged energy technology company, including strategic acquisitions in smart controls and microgrid systems. The conversation also highlights Generac’s agility in manufacturing, its commitment to local production in Wisconsin, advances in monitoring and managed services, and the growing role of sustainable fuels like HVO.\nTimestamped Overview\n00:00 Intro & Brad’s Generac Career Journey\n04:38 Celebrating Generact at Summer Fest\n07:58 Evolving into an Energy Tech Company\n10:42 Generac's Rapid Strategic Entry\n14:08 Streamlining Standby Power Lead Time\n18:35 UK's Leading Generator Control Supplier\n19:44 HVO: A Versatile Fuel Alternative\n23:20 Exciting North American Expansion Strategy","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/RXpUKjFAoV_3f-mxnboQocsKDB9VaG8WJ0_7eYXXgB0/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9jZmI5/ODRlMjU4Zjg3ODM4/ZDJlOWUzMDhiNWUw/YzI1Mi5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}