Business
Polar Power Achieves Key Milestone in Its Solar Hybrid Systems and DC Generators for Telecom, Residential and Commercial with EPA Certification of its Toyota 1KS Natural Gas / LPG Engine
GARDENA, Calif., Jan. 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Polar Power, Inc. (NASDAQ: POLA), a global provider of prime, backup and solar hybrid DC power solutions
About this update from Polar Power, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"GARDENA, Calif., Jan. 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Polar Power, Inc. (NASDAQ: POLA), a global provider of prime, backup and solar hybrid DC power solutions announced it has received certification from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for Toyota 1KS natural gas and LPG engines used in Polar’s DC power systems.\n As part of Polar Power’s ongoing diversification strategy, the company has been working to introduce lower emission, fuel efficient prime power and solar hybrid power systems targeting telecom, residential and commercial markets in sub 40 kw microgrid applications. Polar’s engineering team has worked for over twelve months to integrate proprietary control technology with a long-life Toyota engine and Bosch engine controls designed to address the growing market for prime power, CHP and backup power needs worldwide. Polar is currently the only US company to achieve EPA certification for this Toyota 1KS engine that operates on natural gas and LPG (liquid petroleum gas refers to propane or combinations of propane and butane gases). In the 1980’s this .952-liter Toyota engine was first developed by Daihatsu to run 24/7 for natural gas fueled heat pumps (GHP) used for air-conditioning and heating (HVAC). The GHP products were created in response to a Japanese government mandate that HVAC installations operated off the natural gas grid as opposed to the electric grid. This application in Japan has been very successful due to the high fuel efficiency, low maintenance and very long engine life. Polar, from 1998 to 2006, had purchased this Daihatsu engine through US distribution and incorporated it into its solar hybrid and prime power systems for residential and telecom markets. Toyota purchased Daihatsu in 1999 and eventually stopped its exports of these engines to the US. Polar dropped its sales efforts to residential markets but continued offering prime and backup generators using a Kubota engine for its telecom customers. Since acquiring Daihatsu in 1999 Toyota has made a significant improvement to the engine platform, including an electric carburetor and a further reduction in oil maintenance. “We are excited to reach this key step in our growth strategy and diversification plan,” said Arthur Sams, Polar Power’s CEO. “We believe the growing demand for electric vehicle charging and HVAC will lead to more homes and bus...