Kohler’s Nicole Dierksheide Shares Insights on Power & Cooling Innovations

Recently, Nicole Dierksheide, Director - Category Large Engines Power Systems at Kohler Co., participated in the JSA Virtual Roundtable titled: Greener Data Edition: Power & Cooling Innovations to Shrink the Carbon Footprint of Our Network Infrastructure. The panel discussed the current state of power and cooling solutions for data centers, what’s working - what’s not, and what else can be done to successfully reduce the carbon footprint of the industry’s network infrastructure. 

Throughout the discussion, Nicole shared insights about Kohler's commitment to sustainability and interest in providing backup power solutions in the most sustainable ways possible. Specifically in the backup power realm, she discussed the trend shifts she has seen taking place in data centers including a significant increase in demand for generator capacity. For example, data centers have shifted and expanded from commonly using 2000 kW generators in their facilities to relying on larger, more powerful 3 mW generators for their backup solutions. In addition to more wattage, she also shared that data centers are purchasing more units and housing more generators on-site to support their growing power consumption. 

These growing demands have fueled shifts towards sustainable and environmentally friendly best practices at Kohler. Nicole shared that Kohler has seen a big push from data center clients inquiring about alternatives to diesel and advancements with things such as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), fuel derived from waste, residue oils and fats, which can provide a 90% reduction in fossil diesel emissions from production and distribution. Additionally, she also discussed Kohler’s recent launch of Conscious Care™, a new maintenance program that includes multiple maintenance protocols to help customers lower GHG emissions and reduce their carbon footprint. The program supports Kohler’s Better Planet environmental sustainability strategy that ties into the overall commitment to redefining energy resilience with more environmentally friendly solutions—for individuals, businesses, and communities.

To watch the entire JSA Virtual Roundtable, check out the following link.