Kohler Co.'s engine and generator division
Kohler Power Group is expanding into clean energy with the launch of a new energy storage system tailored for the residential solar customer.
The new product, called “
Kohler Power Reserve,” is a modular backup system that enables customers to store and access clean energy produced by home solar systems.
Kohler Power Reserve can be AC- or DC- coupled and has a starting price of $13,000. Homeowners can also access real-time data for the system through a Kohler app, which allows users to choose the operation mode for their system, including back-up, self-supply, time-of-use or custom.
For non-solar powered homes, Kohler Power Reserve offers a way to store energy from the grid during times of lower rates. The system also relies on its batteries for power during peak rate periods while providing homes with back-up power during a power outage, according to a press release.
The new clean energy storage solution will be available to customers in July.
The launch of Kohler’s new energy storage system means the company will now market to the same residential solar customer as its generator competitor Generac.
Kohler Power says it's in the process of creating an ecosystem in which a Kohler generator would be able to pair with the Kohler Power Reserve system, said Kyle Brandemuhl, Kohler Power general manager of residential and power products.
"For over 100 years Kohler has provided distributed energy solutions that power the world's homes and businesses," Kohler Power Group president Brian Melka said in a statement. "We are leveraging that history of trusted expertise to improve the power resiliency of homes and small businesses through this exciting product launch. Clean energy plays a crucial role in the future of sustainable living and the continued expansion of Kohler Power for the next 100 years."
Kohler Co. recently began a 155,000-square-foot expansion project to its
Kohler Power Group manufacturing facility, located at N7650 County Rd LS in the Town of Mosel in northeastern Sheboygan County.
The company said the
expansion of its Town of Mosel plant will include a “state-of-the-art production and testing space” for large generators above 2,000 kilowatts and increased warehousing, as well as a “world-class customer experience center.”