10 seconds to save a life

Show ID (00:04):
This is Power Onwards, the podcast that unveils how power technology shapes your everyday life. You are listening to Power Words.

(00:20):
What is power in your world On this is Power Onward, the podcast that unveils how power technology shapes your everyday life.

Kim (00:34):
You all remember the 2005 smash hit? How to Save a Life by the Fray, right? Well, across the world, healthcare professionals embody that song day in and day out to do their jobs well and save countless lives. They rely on power technology, those operating rooms, imaging machines, HVAC systems, they all depend on power. So what happens when there's an outage, just 10 seconds. That's all the wiggle room we have to get the power back on. And in a world where every second counts, there's no room for failure. I'm Kim.

Nick (01:05):
I'm Nick.

Kim (01:06):
Nick. 10 seconds doesn't feel like that much time at all. We know there's no room for flat lines when it comes to saving lives, and today we're going to discuss why there's no room for downtime and hospital power systems. How does power technology come into play in the world of healthcare?

Nick (01:20):
I think in healthcare more than any other market we serve, the need for backup power is pretty intuitive. We all understand that hospitals rely on power for most of the operations that go on within that facility, and probably more than any other facility you can think about. If the power goes out, there's a more severe consequence and that is that lives depend on it. And so backup power is critical to kind of the backbone of operations in a hospital. It's really the foundation of what allows us to confidently go forward with all of the lifesaving procedures and activities happening within the walls of that hospital. So while the ones on the front lines, the healthcare heroes are really the ones doing the work, they are relying on that backup power to make sure that they can continue their operations. Uninterrupted

Kim (02:10):
Power tech is becoming more and more critical. Can you give us a little bit more insight into why that is?

Nick (02:16):
Yeah, so we talked about why power technology is critical in healthcare in general. It doesn't matter what times we're living in, but when you look at today's day and age and what's happening, all of the different factors going into power, there's an interesting story there. So not only are hospitals more electricity dependent than ever before, as hospitals become more tech driven, they move away from combustion and really move toward electrified infrastructure. They see a lot more patients than ever before, but the grid itself is also becoming more unstable as these mega facilities like data centers come online and kind of stress that grid. And so you've got these two forces that kind of result in this need for increased resiliency across the board, but especially in healthcare. And so we're stepping in to try and see how we can support customers on their resiliency journey.

Kim (03:12):
Frequently when people think about hospitals and healthcare, I think they typically think about the doctors and nurses rightfully, but what are some surprising ways that Cummins healthcare power solutions impact people's lives without them even knowing?

Nick (03:25):
Yeah, I like to think of some of the behind the scenes systems that we power that people don't usually think about. There are a lot of obvious ones that are powered anything in an operating room, the emergency room, sensitive medical equipment. But there are some really important systems that are more subtle. Things like HVAC systems that control the spread of infection by regulating air pressure in certain rooms. So if a room has positive air pressure, air flows out of the room. And this happens in operating rooms where you want to keep contaminants out. If a room has negative air pressure, then it keeps things contained inside that room. So if there's an isolation room where there's a disease that we want to keep from spreading to other rooms, that air pressure is critical. So those systems all rely on power. Additionally, there are things like labs that store vaccines, medicine, blood at strict temperatures and humidity levels.

(04:18):
And so again, even a brief power outage can change that kind of level that they need to be at and compromise valuable resources. And then of course there's things like servers and IT equipment as well that we don't see that and often don't think about, but hospitals and doctors and nurses have to access patient records quickly on the fly. If someone comes into the emergency room during a power outage, they need to understand what's their medical history, what are they allergic to? And so all of these things that may not be the first thing you see when you walk into a healthcare facility are just as critical to helping those operations continue

Kim (04:56):
For someone who has been fortunate enough to not have to know what goes on behind the scenes. That's a really thorough picture of all the ways that power does take in effect when it comes to a power outage. How long would you say we have? I think I noted 10 seconds in the beginning, but is it truly 10 seconds and what goes on behind the scenes during those 10 seconds?

Nick (05:13):
Yeah, those 10 seconds are a lot busier than people realize. There are several different components of power systems beyond just the generator. So we're talking about healthcare. So I like to think of all the different elements of a power system kind of in terms of our anatomy. So you think of the generator being the heart, the transfer switch is sort of a reflex. The control, the system control is the brains of the system. And then you have the switch gear, which is the circulatory system pumping that power through the rest of the system. And so when you think about all of those working together, there are signals that are being sent automatically and instantly between each of those pieces of equipment to make sure things are turning on when need to. So when you're in a hospital, the reality is you probably won't notice the power going out.

(06:03):
There's not a ten second gap because most hospitals have actually a battery system that will hold them over for a few seconds that turns on just for a temporary amount of time and allows the generator to get back up in 10 seconds. And healthcare is a really highly regulated space because it is so critical with such severe consequences. And so because of that, there are numerous codes and standards that facilities have to follow and that's where that ten second requirement comes from. It comes from one of the key backup power standards in the us, which for these critical applications, we need to have power generating in 10 seconds, but in the meantime, we've got some safety measures to make sure you're not without power for that time either.

Kim (06:47):
I was out in your area in Shoreview and I was at the pick lab. I guess that's technically Fridley, Minnesota, correct?

Nick (06:54):
Yep, not far.

Kim (06:55):
Was that an accurate demonstration of what you mean? To me, it was like a blink of an eye. I actually didn't notice power was out, but all that was happening behind the scenes as well.

Nick (07:04):
Yeah, absolutely. And I think it's pretty incredible to think of how quickly within milliseconds equipment can sense that there's an outage and immediately trigger that transition to flip the switch on the a TS from utility to backup power. And then we've got the UPS, the uninterruptible power supply come in for that short period of time while the generator kind of kicks in and starts up. And in reality, our generators actually start up in even less than 10 seconds, but there are a few gaps in there where you have to account for the amount of time it takes for the transfer switch to kick over and whatnot. So it's very highly engineered approach to meeting this ten second requirement, but thank goodness it's there. Right,

Kim (07:48):
Definitely. You had mentioned A TS and UPS and I made a mental note for our listeners that don't know what that stands for. Can you please break those two things down?

Nick (07:55):
Yeah, yeah. A TS automatic transfer switch. The automatic transfer switch is the piece of equipment that transfers the power from the utility to the backup supply. And then the UPS is uninterruptible power supply, and that's typically a battery that will quickly come online and hold over that power, breathe life into the system for a brief amount of time. At Cummins, we actually don't make Uninterruptable power supplies UPSs, but we do make all of the other equipment that's part of the power system. That's actually something that's really incredible about Cummins is we make all of these components, they're designed to work together. So you think of how complex that system is. One single failure point can mess up that whole process. And so it's really critical that customers can trust in every single component of that power system. And it's nice to know that here at Cummins we design those to work together. And so there's a lot of trust and reliability there with that system design.

Kim (08:52):
Alright, Nick, so it seems like Cummins has been in this space decades. What sets us apart when it comes to powering healthcare facilities?

Nick (09:01):
So we have been here for decades and that in and of itself is one of our key advantages. We know the space, we know the codes, we help write the codes. And so our experience and expertise means that we're uniquely positioned to help engineers, facility managers get the right system design and then maintain that system. Another thing is what I just mentioned in my previous response, we are truly a single source manufacturer of all of our major components. So they are designed to work together seamlessly and it allows for us to be kind of a single source contact as well. If customers don't have to reach out to all these different manufacturers, they've got one source that they can count on for their support and who can be accountable for their entire power system. And finally, innovation. I think we are really showing off how we are an innovative company across the board.

(09:54):
I think this podcast has illustrated that well. I think our technology is really one of a kind. We have award-winning generators where for the past few years we've released generator sets that have taken certain standards of the industry to a whole new level with more compact designs, more efficiency, more sustainability. We also have new technologies like battery energy storage systems. And so if you choose Cummins as your provider, you're entering this partnership of innovation where the next healthcare facility you build can get even better products than what you have. And we'll have new solutions for you to help you reach your sustainability goals.

Kim (10:30):
So from what I'm hearing, we're a one-stop shop, right? We've got the integrated power system, we've got partners and innovation. We are able to do the one, not one solution fits all, but the solutions that fit our unique customers needs.

Nick (10:44):
Exactly.

Kim (10:47):
Sustainability has been a really hot topic lately, and I know that that probably plays a role in how hospitals are powered. How is Cummins approaching the balance of reliability and environmental responsibility?

Nick (10:59):
Reliability and sustainability seem like direct trade-offs at times, but there's actually a lot more nuance to those two requirements and the topic of sustainability on a higher level, not just backup power, but thinking about everything that sustainability entails is a major one in the healthcare facility space, the health sector in the US accounts for 8% of domestic greenhouse gas emissions. And so that's a pretty significant chunk when you think about all the industries across the US and there's strong awareness within the industry of that and strong movement to decarbonize and become more sustainable across the board. While the vast majority of that 8% is due to supply chain related emissions or indirect emissions, there is still a lot of importance in the backup power system. And you think about how that's probably one the things that's easiest for hospitals to control because those assets are within their ownership where a lot of their maybe supply chain is a little more complex to manage.

(12:03):
And so there is this sort of balance and journey towards sustainability that's happening and hospitals are really asking for more sustainable power solutions over time. But at the same time, they can't sacrifice reliability for sustainability by code. Hospitals are required to have onsite power that kicks in within those 10 seconds like we talked about, but also that lasts for multiple days. But new code changes have started to allow for us to think about other power solutions and renewables to play a role. It is a slow journey, but it is happening and Cummins is approaching that balance, I'd say by working on both sides at the same time to make traditional solutions more sustainable and future solutions more and more reliable. And so on the traditional side, we are making our diesel generators cleaner, more efficient, more compact than ever. And so not only does that reduce the emissions of the generator sets themselves, but if you think about those supply chain emissions, you're carrying this heavy generator set across the country,

Kim (13:08):
When he sets heavy, he means tons, like tons, not pounds, not a couple. Oh, it's very lightweight, it fits on its semi, not all the time. You should see one of these in person.

Nick (13:17):
It is a lot, right? So you think of the impact that a lighter gen set can have on your emissions and maybe being able to fit more into that transport, that transportation vehicle. So that is something to consider, especially when hospitals look at how they're measured on sustainability. But then of course, because we own our engines as well, Cummins being a vertically integrated company in that way, it allows us to control that engine piece as well so we can get some of the cleanest engines out there, put them in our generators, and then engineer it in a way that it really drives sustainability today. So that's kind of what we're doing today. And then as I mentioned before, in the future, we're investing in new technologies that will help bring us into kind of a more holistic power environment. So we just released a battery energy storage system, and that's getting a lot of excitement.

(14:06):
It's a different kind of backup power that has zero emissions. And because it's done by Cummins, that trust and reliability behind our name is there maybe in newer emerging technology. And so it actually supports the adoption of customers who may be a little bit skeptical, but trust in that Cummins name and helps us move toward that sustainable future. So I think in summary, the way we see it, hospitals shouldn't have to choose between reliability and sustainability. It's really something that they can have both of work with what they can today while moving gradually toward the future.

Kim (14:41):
I love that fortifying frontier technologies at its finest. I really like that you brought the engines into it because a lot of times we do engine focused episodes or even gen set focused or microgrid focused, but what you've done is you've connected the dots to say, yes, the engines that we were talking about can also be inside of the generator sets that we're discussing. So thanks for connecting that for our audience as well. But let's continue looking ahead, what's the next frontier for backup power in healthcare?

Nick (15:07):
I think the next frontier is really about moving beyond generators, being a safety net and toward hybrid and microgrid style power systems where various energy assets are used together and the generators are part of that overall energy strategy. So a microgrid is increasingly common buzzword in the industry, but it's still something that's a little hard to define sometimes. But at a high level, it's multiple assets, multiple power generating assets working together to generate power in a more flexible way. And I think tangibly talking about this, you can think about a diesel generator working there in the background, and that's kind of a single source of power. And then you have a microgrid on the other hand, which is things like a diesel generator, a solar panel, maybe a battery, things like fuel cells if they're larger microgrids like wind power. And all of these are interconnected and able to work together to generate power when it's needed.

(16:08):
And if you have things like energy storage, then maybe not all of them are working at the same time. Maybe one is kind charging up that battery, or if there is really a large power need, they do all kind of support each other. So there many different versions of microgrids, but overall it's this interconnectedness of different energy assets. So for decades, as I was saying earlier, diesel generator sets have been the backbone. They're trusted, they're reliable, they meet code requirements, and they'll continue to play a critical role into the future. We don't see them necessarily going anywhere, but we're starting to see hospitals layer in other technologies alongside diesel. Things like battery energy storage, as we talked about solar, natural gas generators and more. And that microgrid approach unlocks a few things for hospitals. It makes hospitals more sustainable. Of course, if you have renewables in the mix, then you can kind of rely on those maybe first before the generator comes on.

(17:09):
Or once the generator brings power back online, you can switch over to those renewables. It makes them more resilient. They have multiple points of failure rather than kind of one or two that could kind of impact the quality of the power. And then it also allows them to more productively use their assets and more actively use them. So rather than just having them sit around and wait for a power outage, these assets can be put to work and help generate revenue. In some cases, their uses like peak shaving or demand response where they can take themselves off the grid to either save costs on those high rate hours or the utility will actually pay them to come off the grid to help the grid be less stressed. And so there are all these different uses for these multi-asset systems and because it is, again, hospitals are risk averse.

(18:03):
They want to make sure that things are proven and reliable first. But we're starting to see microgrids become integrated into hospitals. And I think that's just a trend that will continue as things are proven out, as costs come down, we'll continue to see that. So they're complex. There's a lot of flexibility though that microgrids can give healthcare facilities, and I think we're not looking at one asset replacing another as much as we are looking at how more assets can work together in a smarter way. And again, Cummins, we're helping them bridge that gap between where they are today and in the future.

Kim (18:37):
A lot of exciting things to look forward to in the healthcare and power systems space. I really appreciate you taking the time today, Nick, to join us and just give us the tea on everything going on.

Nick (18:47):
Of course. Thanks so much for having me, Kim. This has been great.

Kim (18:50):
Alright, so what's the takeaway from this episode when it comes to saving lives, innovation and power technology are the unsung heroes helping healthcare professionals. Nick reminded us that advances in technology, particularly in power systems, can be the difference between life and death. Those 10 seconds to restore power, it's the result of years of innovation, planning, testing, all of that to ensure that the technology we rely on works when it's needed the most. In a world that's constantly evolving, the push for better, faster, more reliable technology doesn't just improve businesses, it saves lives.

(19:27):
Power Onward.

Show ID (19:35):
Thank you for listening to Power Onward. Your support means the world to us. If you enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to subscribe, rate and review on your favorite podcast platform. If you want to dig deeper on what we covered today, check out the show notes for additional links or go to cummins.com/podcast. Until next time, Power Onward. We are from Cummins, the company that's been innovating toward the future for more than a hundred years. We're no strangers to rapid change, global shifts and economic uncertainty. We want to be your constant during the energy transition whenever, wherever, forever, Power Onward.