# Another Case for Rethinking Backup Power | Emission Free Generators 

- Canonical URL: https://wefunder.com/feed/368798
- Entity ID: wefunder:feed_item:368798
- Published at: 2026-08-14 16:42:23 UTC
- Updated at: 2026-08-14 16:42:33 UTC

## Author
Mark Collins

## Subject
Emission Free Generators 

## Content
Hi everyone,We wanted to share some new research that reinforces exactly why we built ZenH2 the way we did.The problem with our current backup power optionsMillions of Americans don't have an effective backup power option when the grid fails. If you live in an apartment or a condo, you likely can't install a whole-home system or run a generator on a balcony. If you or someone in your home depends on a CPAP machine, an oxygen concentrator, or refrigerated medication, a multi-hour outage isn't just an inconvenience, it's a health risk and as with most outages you don’t want to take the risk as you have no idea of knowing how long the power will be lost. Gas and diesel generators solve the power problem but create a new one: they have to run outside, away from windows and doors, which defeats the purpose if you live somewhere without that kind of space.What's actually coming out of that exhaustA peer-reviewed study published last year in Emission Control Science and Technology looked directly at this. Researchers at Shiv Nadar University ran a stationary diesel engine, the type used in backup generators, across six operating loads and measured the size and composition of the carbon particles it released. Two findings stood out. First, the smallest particles, the ultrafine fraction, penetrate deeper into the respiratory tract than larger particles do. Second, the amount of that particulate exposure increased as the engine worked harder, meaning the generators running longest during an extended outage are also generating the most of this material. This adds to a broader, well-established body of research linking fine particulate exposure to respiratory and cardiovascular problems. It's part of why "just keep it a few feet from the window" has never really been sound advice.And that matters because diesel generators are everywhere, in gardens, hospitals, offices, construction sites, and homes. Anywhere the grid goes down, a diesel generator is often the backup plan.Why backup power needs to changeNone of the existing alternatives fully solve this yet. Battery stations are quiet and easy to live with, but they run out mid-outage and have no way to recharge without grid power or sunlight. Solar generators depend on daylight and clear skies, exactly the conditions you often can't count on during a storm. Getting backup power right means finding something that's indoor-safe, doesn't run out, and doesn't depend on the weather cooperating. Hydrogen-on-demand power is our answer to that gap.We believe backup power shouldn't cost people their air quality. If you believe in this too, you can join our round and help us advance hydrogen-on-demand backup power options.— Mark