1 00:00:04,110 --> 00:00:05,850 This is Power Onwards, 2 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:10,740 the podcast that unveils how power technology shapes your everyday life. 3 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:18,120 You are listening to Power Words. 4 00:00:20,250 --> 00:00:23,780 What is power in your world On 5 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:27,750 this is Power Onward, 6 00:00:28,020 --> 00:00:32,280 the podcast that unveils how power technology shapes your everyday life. 7 00:00:34,260 --> 00:00:38,070 You all remember the 2005 smash hit? How to Save a Life by the Fray, right? 8 00:00:38,460 --> 00:00:39,660 Well, across the world, 9 00:00:39,660 --> 00:00:44,640 healthcare professionals embody that song day in and day out to do their jobs 10 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:48,210 well and save countless lives. They rely on power technology, 11 00:00:48,540 --> 00:00:53,370 those operating rooms, imaging machines, HVAC systems, they all depend on power. 12 00:00:53,670 --> 00:00:57,000 So what happens when there's an outage, just 10 seconds. 13 00:00:57,270 --> 00:01:00,240 That's all the wiggle room we have to get the power back on. 14 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:05,040 And in a world where every second counts, there's no room for failure. I'm Kim. 15 00:01:05,670 --> 00:01:06,503 I'm Nick. 16 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:09,390 Nick. 10 seconds doesn't feel like that much time at all. 17 00:01:09,540 --> 00:01:12,450 We know there's no room for flat lines when it comes to saving lives, 18 00:01:12,630 --> 00:01:15,840 and today we're going to discuss why there's no room for downtime and hospital 19 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:16,710 power systems. 20 00:01:16,830 --> 00:01:19,980 How does power technology come into play in the world of healthcare? 21 00:01:20,430 --> 00:01:23,820 I think in healthcare more than any other market we serve, 22 00:01:24,930 --> 00:01:27,420 the need for backup power is pretty intuitive. 23 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:32,130 We all understand that hospitals rely on power for most of the 24 00:01:32,130 --> 00:01:34,140 operations that go on within that facility, 25 00:01:34,320 --> 00:01:39,000 and probably more than any other facility you can think about. 26 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:40,080 If the power goes out, 27 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:43,320 there's a more severe consequence and that is that lives depend on it. 28 00:01:43,350 --> 00:01:48,120 And so backup power is critical to kind of the backbone of 29 00:01:48,540 --> 00:01:49,830 operations in a hospital. 30 00:01:49,830 --> 00:01:54,300 It's really the foundation of what allows us to confidently go forward with all 31 00:01:54,300 --> 00:01:58,080 of the lifesaving procedures and activities happening within the walls of that 32 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:01,200 hospital. So while the ones on the front lines, 33 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:04,530 the healthcare heroes are really the ones doing the work, 34 00:02:04,890 --> 00:02:08,640 they are relying on that backup power to make sure that they can continue their 35 00:02:08,640 --> 00:02:10,020 operations. Uninterrupted. 36 00:02:10,500 --> 00:02:12,810 Power tech is becoming more and more critical. 37 00:02:13,230 --> 00:02:15,420 Can you give us a little bit more insight into why that is? 38 00:02:16,170 --> 00:02:16,530 Yeah, 39 00:02:16,530 --> 00:02:21,180 so we talked about why power technology is critical in healthcare in general. 40 00:02:21,390 --> 00:02:24,570 It doesn't matter what times we're living in, 41 00:02:24,570 --> 00:02:27,660 but when you look at today's day and age and what's happening, 42 00:02:27,660 --> 00:02:31,320 all of the different factors going into power, 43 00:02:32,100 --> 00:02:33,660 there's an interesting story there. 44 00:02:33,930 --> 00:02:38,310 So not only are hospitals more electricity dependent than ever before, 45 00:02:38,610 --> 00:02:40,500 as hospitals become more tech driven, 46 00:02:40,740 --> 00:02:45,600 they move away from combustion and really move toward electrified 47 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:48,930 infrastructure. They see a lot more patients than ever before, 48 00:02:49,860 --> 00:02:54,780 but the grid itself is also becoming more unstable as these mega facilities 49 00:02:54,780 --> 00:02:58,020 like data centers come online and kind of stress that grid. 50 00:02:58,260 --> 00:03:02,260 And so you've got these two forces that kind of result in this need for 51 00:03:02,260 --> 00:03:05,740 increased resiliency across the board, but especially in healthcare. 52 00:03:05,740 --> 00:03:10,630 And so we're stepping in to try and see how we can support customers on their 53 00:03:10,630 --> 00:03:11,620 resiliency journey. 54 00:03:12,430 --> 00:03:15,460 Frequently when people think about hospitals and healthcare, 55 00:03:15,460 --> 00:03:18,010 I think they typically think about the doctors and nurses rightfully, 56 00:03:18,850 --> 00:03:22,360 but what are some surprising ways that Cummins healthcare power solutions impact 57 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:24,010 people's lives without them even knowing? 58 00:03:25,210 --> 00:03:25,450 Yeah, 59 00:03:25,450 --> 00:03:29,980 I like to think of some of the behind the scenes systems that we power that 60 00:03:29,980 --> 00:03:31,240 people don't usually think about. 61 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:34,780 There are a lot of obvious ones that are powered anything in an operating room, 62 00:03:34,780 --> 00:03:37,300 the emergency room, sensitive medical equipment. 63 00:03:38,230 --> 00:03:40,840 But there are some really important systems that are more subtle. 64 00:03:41,020 --> 00:03:45,490 Things like HVAC systems that control the spread of infection by regulating air 65 00:03:45,490 --> 00:03:49,450 pressure in certain rooms. So if a room has positive air pressure, 66 00:03:49,450 --> 00:03:50,620 air flows out of the room. 67 00:03:50,710 --> 00:03:54,850 And this happens in operating rooms where you want to keep contaminants out. 68 00:03:55,300 --> 00:03:57,010 If a room has negative air pressure, 69 00:03:57,010 --> 00:03:59,680 then it keeps things contained inside that room. 70 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:04,540 So if there's an isolation room where there's a disease that we want to keep 71 00:04:04,540 --> 00:04:07,690 from spreading to other rooms, that air pressure is critical. 72 00:04:07,690 --> 00:04:11,050 So those systems all rely on power. Additionally, 73 00:04:11,050 --> 00:04:15,400 there are things like labs that store vaccines, medicine, 74 00:04:15,430 --> 00:04:19,510 blood at strict temperatures and humidity levels. And so again, 75 00:04:19,570 --> 00:04:23,920 even a brief power outage can change that kind of level that they need to be at 76 00:04:24,190 --> 00:04:26,830 and compromise valuable resources. 77 00:04:27,220 --> 00:04:30,670 And then of course there's things like servers and IT equipment as well that we 78 00:04:30,670 --> 00:04:33,790 don't see that and often don't think about, 79 00:04:33,790 --> 00:04:38,710 but hospitals and doctors and nurses have to access patient records quickly 80 00:04:38,710 --> 00:04:41,710 on the fly. If someone comes into the emergency room during a power outage, 81 00:04:41,950 --> 00:04:45,220 they need to understand what's their medical history, what are they allergic to? 82 00:04:45,220 --> 00:04:49,750 And so all of these things that may not be the first thing you see when you walk 83 00:04:49,750 --> 00:04:54,640 into a healthcare facility are just as critical to helping those 84 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:55,660 operations continue. 85 00:04:56,020 --> 00:04:58,780 For someone who has been fortunate enough to not have to know what goes on 86 00:04:58,780 --> 00:04:59,613 behind the scenes. 87 00:04:59,740 --> 00:05:03,220 That's a really thorough picture of all the ways that power does take in effect 88 00:05:03,430 --> 00:05:06,460 when it comes to a power outage. How long would you say we have? 89 00:05:06,460 --> 00:05:08,350 I think I noted 10 seconds in the beginning, 90 00:05:08,350 --> 00:05:12,010 but is it truly 10 seconds and what goes on behind the scenes during those 10 91 00:05:12,010 --> 00:05:12,843 seconds? 92 00:05:13,540 --> 00:05:17,110 Yeah, those 10 seconds are a lot busier than people realize. 93 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:20,320 There are several different components of power systems beyond just the 94 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:23,530 generator. So we're talking about healthcare. 95 00:05:23,530 --> 00:05:27,520 So I like to think of all the different elements of a power system kind of in 96 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:31,690 terms of our anatomy. So you think of the generator being the heart, 97 00:05:31,840 --> 00:05:36,550 the transfer switch is sort of a reflex. The control, 98 00:05:36,550 --> 00:05:38,830 the system control is the brains of the system. 99 00:05:39,190 --> 00:05:41,170 And then you have the switch gear, 100 00:05:41,170 --> 00:05:44,650 which is the circulatory system pumping that power through the rest of the 101 00:05:44,650 --> 00:05:48,370 system. And so when you think about all of those working together, 102 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:53,290 there are signals that are being sent automatically and instantly 103 00:05:53,590 --> 00:05:56,920 between each of those pieces of equipment to make sure things are turning on 104 00:05:56,920 --> 00:05:59,630 when need to. So when you're in a hospital, 105 00:05:59,990 --> 00:06:04,310 the reality is you probably won't notice the power going out. There's not a ten 106 00:06:04,310 --> 00:06:08,480 second gap because most hospitals have actually a battery system that will hold 107 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:12,770 them over for a few seconds that turns on just for a temporary amount of time 108 00:06:12,890 --> 00:06:15,620 and allows the generator to get back up in 10 seconds. 109 00:06:15,620 --> 00:06:20,360 And healthcare is a really highly regulated space because it is 110 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:24,110 so critical with such severe consequences. And so because of that, 111 00:06:24,380 --> 00:06:29,240 there are numerous codes and standards that facilities have to follow and 112 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:31,220 that's where that ten second requirement comes from. 113 00:06:31,220 --> 00:06:35,780 It comes from one of the key backup power standards in the us, 114 00:06:35,780 --> 00:06:38,240 which for these critical applications, 115 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:42,350 we need to have power generating in 10 seconds, but in the meantime, 116 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:46,010 we've got some safety measures to make sure you're not without power for that 117 00:06:46,010 --> 00:06:46,843 time either. 118 00:06:47,750 --> 00:06:51,470 I was out in your area in Shoreview and I was at the pick lab. 119 00:06:51,830 --> 00:06:54,110 I guess that's technically Fridley, Minnesota, correct? 120 00:06:54,350 --> 00:06:55,183 Yep, not far. 121 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:58,730 Was that an accurate demonstration of what you mean? To me, 122 00:06:58,730 --> 00:07:01,670 it was like a blink of an eye. I actually didn't notice power was out, 123 00:07:01,940 --> 00:07:04,040 but all that was happening behind the scenes as well. 124 00:07:04,580 --> 00:07:05,480 Yeah, absolutely. 125 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:10,250 And I think it's pretty incredible to think of how quickly within 126 00:07:10,250 --> 00:07:15,050 milliseconds equipment can sense that there's an outage and immediately trigger 127 00:07:15,050 --> 00:07:19,730 that transition to flip the switch on the a TS from utility to 128 00:07:19,730 --> 00:07:22,330 backup power. And then we've got the UPS, 129 00:07:22,330 --> 00:07:26,120 the uninterruptible power supply come in for that short period of time while the 130 00:07:26,150 --> 00:07:29,750 generator kind of kicks in and starts up. And in reality, 131 00:07:29,750 --> 00:07:32,690 our generators actually start up in even less than 10 seconds, 132 00:07:32,690 --> 00:07:37,250 but there are a few gaps in there where you have to account for the amount of 133 00:07:37,250 --> 00:07:40,220 time it takes for the transfer switch to kick over and whatnot. 134 00:07:40,220 --> 00:07:44,840 So it's very highly engineered approach to meeting this 135 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:48,110 ten second requirement, but thank goodness it's there. Right. 136 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:48,680 Definitely. 137 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:52,040 You had mentioned A TS and UPS and I made a mental note for our listeners that 138 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:54,740 don't know what that stands for. Can you please break those two things down? 139 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:58,280 Yeah, yeah. A TS automatic transfer switch. 140 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:02,510 The automatic transfer switch is the piece of equipment that transfers the power 141 00:08:02,510 --> 00:08:05,150 from the utility to the backup supply. 142 00:08:05,630 --> 00:08:09,050 And then the UPS is uninterruptible power supply, 143 00:08:09,050 --> 00:08:13,730 and that's typically a battery that will quickly come online and hold over 144 00:08:14,060 --> 00:08:17,660 that power, breathe life into the system for a brief amount of time. At Cummins, 145 00:08:17,660 --> 00:08:21,230 we actually don't make Uninterruptable power supplies UPSs, 146 00:08:21,230 --> 00:08:24,050 but we do make all of the other equipment that's part of the power system. 147 00:08:24,170 --> 00:08:29,150 That's actually something that's really incredible about Cummins is we make all 148 00:08:29,150 --> 00:08:31,370 of these components, they're designed to work together. 149 00:08:31,370 --> 00:08:33,950 So you think of how complex that system is. 150 00:08:34,250 --> 00:08:37,670 One single failure point can mess up that whole process. 151 00:08:37,670 --> 00:08:41,630 And so it's really critical that customers can trust in every single component 152 00:08:41,630 --> 00:08:42,620 of that power system. 153 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:47,510 And it's nice to know that here at Cummins we design those to work together. 154 00:08:47,540 --> 00:08:51,590 And so there's a lot of trust and reliability there with that system design. 155 00:08:52,910 --> 00:08:55,830 Alright, Nick, so it seems like Cummins has been in this space decades. 156 00:08:55,950 --> 00:08:59,340 What sets us apart when it comes to powering healthcare facilities? 157 00:09:01,050 --> 00:09:05,850 So we have been here for decades and that in and of itself is one of 158 00:09:05,940 --> 00:09:08,940 our key advantages. We know the space, we know the codes, 159 00:09:09,390 --> 00:09:10,680 we help write the codes. 160 00:09:10,740 --> 00:09:15,030 And so our experience and expertise means that we're uniquely positioned to help 161 00:09:15,420 --> 00:09:16,253 engineers, 162 00:09:16,680 --> 00:09:20,430 facility managers get the right system design and then maintain that system. 163 00:09:20,970 --> 00:09:23,610 Another thing is what I just mentioned in my previous response, 164 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:27,900 we are truly a single source manufacturer of all of our major components. 165 00:09:27,900 --> 00:09:32,880 So they are designed to work together seamlessly and it allows for us 166 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:35,250 to be kind of a single source contact as well. 167 00:09:35,250 --> 00:09:38,160 If customers don't have to reach out to all these different manufacturers, 168 00:09:38,490 --> 00:09:42,960 they've got one source that they can count on for their support 169 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:47,610 and who can be accountable for their entire power system. And finally, 170 00:09:47,610 --> 00:09:48,270 innovation. 171 00:09:48,270 --> 00:09:52,770 I think we are really showing off how we are an innovative 172 00:09:52,770 --> 00:09:56,970 company across the board. I think this podcast has illustrated that well. 173 00:09:57,150 --> 00:09:59,370 I think our technology is really one of a kind. 174 00:09:59,370 --> 00:10:03,990 We have award-winning generators where for the past few years we've released 175 00:10:04,590 --> 00:10:08,280 generator sets that have taken certain standards of the industry to a whole new 176 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:12,720 level with more compact designs, more efficiency, more sustainability. 177 00:10:13,050 --> 00:10:16,230 We also have new technologies like battery energy storage systems. 178 00:10:16,260 --> 00:10:18,870 And so if you choose Cummins as your provider, 179 00:10:18,870 --> 00:10:22,800 you're entering this partnership of innovation where the next healthcare 180 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:26,150 facility you build can get even better products than what you have. 181 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:29,610 And we'll have new solutions for you to help you reach your sustainability 182 00:10:29,610 --> 00:10:30,443 goals. 183 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:33,480 So from what I'm hearing, we're a one-stop shop, right? 184 00:10:34,020 --> 00:10:37,260 We've got the integrated power system, we've got partners and innovation. 185 00:10:37,500 --> 00:10:41,070 We are able to do the one, not one solution fits all, 186 00:10:41,070 --> 00:10:43,590 but the solutions that fit our unique customers needs. 187 00:10:44,070 --> 00:10:44,903 Exactly. 188 00:10:47,250 --> 00:10:49,410 Sustainability has been a really hot topic lately, 189 00:10:49,410 --> 00:10:53,250 and I know that that probably plays a role in how hospitals are powered. 190 00:10:53,460 --> 00:10:56,850 How is Cummins approaching the balance of reliability and environmental 191 00:10:56,850 --> 00:10:57,750 responsibility? 192 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:03,090 Reliability and sustainability seem like direct trade-offs at times, 193 00:11:03,090 --> 00:11:07,650 but there's actually a lot more nuance to those two requirements and the 194 00:11:07,650 --> 00:11:12,330 topic of sustainability on a higher level, not just backup power, 195 00:11:12,330 --> 00:11:16,590 but thinking about everything that sustainability entails is a major one in the 196 00:11:16,590 --> 00:11:17,820 healthcare facility space, 197 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:21,870 the health sector in the US accounts for 8% of 198 00:11:22,350 --> 00:11:24,660 domestic greenhouse gas emissions. 199 00:11:24,780 --> 00:11:28,890 And so that's a pretty significant chunk when you think about all the industries 200 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:33,720 across the US and there's strong awareness within the industry of that 201 00:11:34,230 --> 00:11:39,060 and strong movement to decarbonize and become more sustainable across the board. 202 00:11:39,540 --> 00:11:44,430 While the vast majority of that 8% is due to supply chain 203 00:11:44,850 --> 00:11:46,860 related emissions or indirect emissions, 204 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:50,610 there is still a lot of importance in the backup power system. 205 00:11:50,610 --> 00:11:54,220 And you think about how that's probably one the things that's easiest for 206 00:11:54,220 --> 00:11:58,750 hospitals to control because those assets are within their ownership where a lot 207 00:11:58,750 --> 00:12:03,400 of their maybe supply chain is a little more complex to manage. And 208 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:08,080 so there is this sort of balance and journey 209 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:12,970 towards sustainability that's happening and hospitals are really 210 00:12:12,970 --> 00:12:16,870 asking for more sustainable power solutions over time. But at the same time, 211 00:12:17,050 --> 00:12:21,850 they can't sacrifice reliability for sustainability by code. 212 00:12:21,850 --> 00:12:25,990 Hospitals are required to have onsite power that kicks in within those 10 213 00:12:25,990 --> 00:12:29,260 seconds like we talked about, but also that lasts for multiple days. 214 00:12:29,620 --> 00:12:33,190 But new code changes have started to allow for us to think about other power 215 00:12:33,190 --> 00:12:36,760 solutions and renewables to play a role. It is a slow journey, 216 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:39,430 but it is happening and Cummins is approaching that balance, 217 00:12:39,430 --> 00:12:43,540 I'd say by working on both sides at the same time to make traditional solutions 218 00:12:43,540 --> 00:12:47,320 more sustainable and future solutions more and more reliable. 219 00:12:47,830 --> 00:12:52,180 And so on the traditional side, we are making our diesel generators cleaner, 220 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:54,490 more efficient, more compact than ever. 221 00:12:54,700 --> 00:12:59,050 And so not only does that reduce the emissions of the generator sets themselves, 222 00:12:59,050 --> 00:13:01,720 but if you think about those supply chain emissions, 223 00:13:02,350 --> 00:13:07,000 you're carrying this heavy generator set across the 224 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:07,833 country. 225 00:13:08,140 --> 00:13:13,000 When he sets heavy, he means tons, like tons, not pounds, not a couple. 226 00:13:13,330 --> 00:13:15,970 Oh, it's very lightweight, it fits on its semi, not all the time. 227 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:17,350 You should see one of these in person. 228 00:13:17,740 --> 00:13:19,390 It is a lot, right? 229 00:13:19,390 --> 00:13:23,740 So you think of the impact that a lighter gen set can have on your 230 00:13:23,950 --> 00:13:27,880 emissions and maybe being able to fit more into that transport, 231 00:13:27,940 --> 00:13:31,030 that transportation vehicle. So that is something to consider, 232 00:13:31,030 --> 00:13:33,610 especially when hospitals look at how they're measured on sustainability. 233 00:13:33,610 --> 00:13:36,640 But then of course, because we own our engines as well, 234 00:13:36,670 --> 00:13:38,980 Cummins being a vertically integrated company in that way, 235 00:13:39,190 --> 00:13:43,360 it allows us to control that engine piece as well so we can get some of the 236 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:46,150 cleanest engines out there, put them in our generators, 237 00:13:46,150 --> 00:13:50,050 and then engineer it in a way that it really drives sustainability today. 238 00:13:50,290 --> 00:13:53,530 So that's kind of what we're doing today. And then as I mentioned before, 239 00:13:53,530 --> 00:13:54,363 in the future, 240 00:13:54,460 --> 00:13:59,290 we're investing in new technologies that will help bring us into kind of a more 241 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:01,150 holistic power environment. 242 00:14:01,150 --> 00:14:04,360 So we just released a battery energy storage system, 243 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:08,230 and that's getting a lot of excitement. It's a different kind of backup power 244 00:14:08,230 --> 00:14:11,380 that has zero emissions. And because it's done by Cummins, 245 00:14:11,380 --> 00:14:16,090 that trust and reliability behind our name is there maybe in 246 00:14:16,090 --> 00:14:17,410 newer emerging technology. 247 00:14:17,410 --> 00:14:22,180 And so it actually supports the adoption of customers who may be a little bit 248 00:14:22,180 --> 00:14:22,750 skeptical, 249 00:14:22,750 --> 00:14:26,710 but trust in that Cummins name and helps us move toward that sustainable future. 250 00:14:27,070 --> 00:14:29,800 So I think in summary, the way we see it, 251 00:14:29,980 --> 00:14:34,390 hospitals shouldn't have to choose between reliability and sustainability. 252 00:14:34,420 --> 00:14:38,620 It's really something that they can have both of work with what they can today 253 00:14:38,620 --> 00:14:40,840 while moving gradually toward the future. 254 00:14:41,620 --> 00:14:44,410 I love that fortifying frontier technologies at its finest. 255 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:47,650 I really like that you brought the engines into it because a lot of times we do 256 00:14:47,650 --> 00:14:52,280 engine focused episodes or even gen set focused or microgrid focused, 257 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:54,920 but what you've done is you've connected the dots to say, yes, 258 00:14:54,950 --> 00:14:58,250 the engines that we were talking about can also be inside of the generator sets 259 00:14:58,250 --> 00:15:01,580 that we're discussing. So thanks for connecting that for our audience as well. 260 00:15:01,700 --> 00:15:03,170 But let's continue looking ahead, 261 00:15:03,740 --> 00:15:06,050 what's the next frontier for backup power in healthcare? 262 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:11,330 I think the next frontier is really about moving beyond generators, 263 00:15:11,330 --> 00:15:15,950 being a safety net and toward hybrid and microgrid style power 264 00:15:15,950 --> 00:15:20,750 systems where various energy assets are used together and 265 00:15:20,810 --> 00:15:24,050 the generators are part of that overall energy strategy. 266 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:28,640 So a microgrid is increasingly common buzzword in the 267 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:32,510 industry, but it's still something that's a little hard to define sometimes. 268 00:15:32,510 --> 00:15:35,690 But at a high level, it's multiple assets, 269 00:15:35,690 --> 00:15:39,860 multiple power generating assets working together to generate power in a more 270 00:15:39,860 --> 00:15:43,520 flexible way. And I think tangibly talking about this, 271 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:47,450 you can think about a diesel generator working there in the background, 272 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:50,930 and that's kind of a single source of power. 273 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:53,090 And then you have a microgrid on the other hand, 274 00:15:53,090 --> 00:15:57,710 which is things like a diesel generator, a solar panel, maybe a battery, 275 00:15:58,730 --> 00:16:02,390 things like fuel cells if they're larger microgrids like wind power. 276 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:07,520 And all of these are interconnected and able to work together to generate power 277 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:11,720 when it's needed. And if you have things like energy storage, 278 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:14,660 then maybe not all of them are working at the same time. 279 00:16:14,660 --> 00:16:17,120 Maybe one is kind charging up that battery, 280 00:16:18,900 --> 00:16:21,170 or if there is really a large power need, 281 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:22,730 they do all kind of support each other. 282 00:16:22,730 --> 00:16:27,230 So there many different versions of microgrids, 283 00:16:27,230 --> 00:16:31,160 but overall it's this interconnectedness of different energy assets. 284 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:34,400 So for decades, as I was saying earlier, 285 00:16:34,580 --> 00:16:38,870 diesel generator sets have been the backbone. They're trusted, they're reliable, 286 00:16:38,900 --> 00:16:40,070 they meet code requirements, 287 00:16:40,370 --> 00:16:42,830 and they'll continue to play a critical role into the future. 288 00:16:42,830 --> 00:16:44,960 We don't see them necessarily going anywhere, 289 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:49,310 but we're starting to see hospitals layer in other technologies alongside 290 00:16:49,310 --> 00:16:53,240 diesel. Things like battery energy storage, as we talked about solar, 291 00:16:53,510 --> 00:16:55,490 natural gas generators and more. 292 00:16:55,970 --> 00:16:59,900 And that microgrid approach unlocks a few things for hospitals. 293 00:16:59,960 --> 00:17:03,260 It makes hospitals more sustainable. Of course, 294 00:17:03,260 --> 00:17:05,180 if you have renewables in the mix, 295 00:17:05,180 --> 00:17:09,770 then you can kind of rely on those maybe first before the generator comes on. Or 296 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:12,290 once the generator brings power back online, 297 00:17:12,290 --> 00:17:15,980 you can switch over to those renewables. It makes them more resilient. 298 00:17:16,010 --> 00:17:20,930 They have multiple points of failure rather than kind of one or two that could 299 00:17:21,140 --> 00:17:23,660 kind of impact the quality of the power. 300 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:28,730 And then it also allows them to more productively use their assets and more 301 00:17:28,730 --> 00:17:29,540 actively use them. 302 00:17:29,540 --> 00:17:33,410 So rather than just having them sit around and wait for a power outage, 303 00:17:33,650 --> 00:17:37,760 these assets can be put to work and help generate revenue. In some cases, 304 00:17:37,790 --> 00:17:42,590 their uses like peak shaving or demand response where they can 305 00:17:42,590 --> 00:17:47,510 take themselves off the grid to either save costs on those high 306 00:17:47,510 --> 00:17:51,390 rate hours or the utility will actually pay them to come off the grid 307 00:17:52,350 --> 00:17:54,660 to help the grid be less stressed. 308 00:17:55,020 --> 00:17:59,910 And so there are all these different uses for these multi-asset systems and 309 00:18:00,540 --> 00:18:02,250 because it is, again, 310 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:06,420 hospitals are risk averse. They want to make sure that things are proven and 311 00:18:06,450 --> 00:18:07,380 reliable first. 312 00:18:07,620 --> 00:18:10,860 But we're starting to see microgrids become integrated into hospitals. 313 00:18:10,860 --> 00:18:13,980 And I think that's just a trend that will continue as things are proven out, 314 00:18:13,980 --> 00:18:18,810 as costs come down, we'll continue to see that. So they're complex. 315 00:18:18,810 --> 00:18:22,350 There's a lot of flexibility though that microgrids can give healthcare 316 00:18:22,350 --> 00:18:23,010 facilities, 317 00:18:23,010 --> 00:18:27,900 and I think we're not looking at one asset replacing another 318 00:18:27,900 --> 00:18:32,280 as much as we are looking at how more assets can work together in a smarter way. 319 00:18:32,700 --> 00:18:33,750 And again, Cummins, 320 00:18:33,780 --> 00:18:36,780 we're helping them bridge that gap between where they are today and in the 321 00:18:36,780 --> 00:18:37,500 future. 322 00:18:37,500 --> 00:18:41,250 A lot of exciting things to look forward to in the healthcare and power systems 323 00:18:41,250 --> 00:18:43,950 space. I really appreciate you taking the time today, Nick, 324 00:18:43,950 --> 00:18:47,010 to join us and just give us the tea on everything going on. 325 00:18:47,610 --> 00:18:50,220 Of course. Thanks so much for having me, Kim. This has been great. 326 00:18:50,670 --> 00:18:54,360 Alright, so what's the takeaway from this episode when it comes to saving lives, 327 00:18:54,420 --> 00:18:58,320 innovation and power technology are the unsung heroes helping healthcare 328 00:18:58,320 --> 00:19:01,770 professionals. Nick reminded us that advances in technology, 329 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:05,880 particularly in power systems, can be the difference between life and death. 330 00:19:06,330 --> 00:19:10,890 Those 10 seconds to restore power, it's the result of years of innovation, 331 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:12,270 planning, testing, 332 00:19:12,510 --> 00:19:16,470 all of that to ensure that the technology we rely on works when it's needed the 333 00:19:16,470 --> 00:19:21,330 most. In a world that's constantly evolving, the push for better, faster, 334 00:19:21,360 --> 00:19:26,130 more reliable technology doesn't just improve businesses, it saves lives. 335 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:29,280 Power Onward. 336 00:19:35,370 --> 00:19:39,390 Thank you for listening to Power Onward. Your support means the world to us. 337 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:43,050 If you enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to subscribe, 338 00:19:43,110 --> 00:19:45,990 rate and review on your favorite podcast platform. 339 00:19:46,470 --> 00:19:48,600 If you want to dig deeper on what we covered today, 340 00:19:48,810 --> 00:19:51,540 check out the show notes for additional links or go to 341 00:19:51,540 --> 00:19:55,470 cummins.com/podcast. Until next time, 342 00:19:55,950 --> 00:19:57,240 Power Onward. 343 00:20:01,350 --> 00:20:02,430 We are from Cummins, 344 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:06,390 the company that's been innovating toward the future for more than a hundred 345 00:20:06,390 --> 00:20:09,300 years. We're no strangers to rapid change, 346 00:20:09,450 --> 00:20:11,760 global shifts and economic uncertainty. 347 00:20:12,390 --> 00:20:16,920 We want to be your constant during the energy transition whenever, 348 00:20:17,340 --> 00:20:21,000 wherever, forever, Power Onward.