Generac’s product map and EPD reality check
Power resilience sells, especially in healthcare, data centers, and large campuses where downtime costs real money. Generac is a household name in backup power, yet spec-driven projects increasingly ask for product‑specific EPDs. Here’s how their portfolio stacks up and where the documentation gaps create friction when teams chase LEED v5 points or corporate carbon policies.
Who Generac is, at a glance
Generac designs and manufactures power technology spanning homes to mission‑critical facilities. In 2024 they reported $4.30B in net sales, with residential products at $2.43B and C&I at $1.39B (Generac IR, 2025). Their public Sustainability & Impact hub outlines goals and recent moves across operations and products (Generac Sustainability, 2025).
What they actually sell
Generac is not a pure play in one widget. The portfolio spans home standby and portable generators, industrial diesel and gaseous gensets, automatic transfer switches, battery energy storage systems, microgrid controllers, and an EV charger line. Across these families, the SKU count runs into the hundreds. For construction specifiers, that breadth means many touchpoints on a single project.
Where EPDs show up today
We did not locate product‑specific EPDs published for Generac generators, transfer switches, energy storage, or microgrid controllers in the mainstream registries commonly used by North American project teams as of December 2025. That does not mean an EPD is impossible for the category. It signals a documentation gap that matters when teams standardize on products with third‑party verified disclosures.
Competitor signals specifiers notice
Several generator rivals have begun publishing Type III declarations using the EN 50693 framework for electrotechnical equipment. Recent examples include diesel generator sets from Rolls‑Royce mtu and Aksa, both registered with EPD International in 2025 (EPD International, mtu DS500, 2025; EPD International, mtu DS2500, 2025; EPD International, Aksa AC 3000, 2025). When two submittals look equal on performance and price, having a current, product‑specific EPD can be the nudge that keeps a brand in the spec.
Why this matters under LEED v5
LEED v5 was ratified on March 28, 2025, and keeps product disclosure while pushing embodied‑carbon performance across the bill of materials (USGBC, 2025; USGBC LEED v5 overview, 2025). Project teams still assemble shopping lists of qualifying materials, and they prefer manufacturers with dependable EPDs so they can count contributions without late‑stage substitutions. No EPD means teams often apply conservative defaults, which can push a product out of contention.
A likely best‑seller without an EPD
On many large projects, a 500 kW to multi‑megawatt standby genset is a routine line item. Generac markets into those applications across healthcare and data centers. In that same slot, an mtu containerized diesel set appears with a current EPD in the program operator’s library (EPD International, mtu DS2500, 2025). That difference can decide whose submittal clears the compliance checklist first.
Adjacent categories already publish
Even where generators lag, nearby electrical gear is steadily covered. Numerous switchgear, breakers, and UPS models from large electrical OEMs carry PEP or EPD‑format declarations, giving design teams a blueprint for what “good” looks like. If Generac adds EPDs for transfer switches and microgrid cabinets first, then extends to gensets, they reduce friction fast.
The fast path to an EPD for gensets
For electrotechnical products that sit outside EN 15804, credible program operators accept EPDs aligned to EN 50693 with ISO 14025. That is the same path the 2025 mtu and Aksa generator EPDs follow in EPD International’s library (EPD International, 2025). A strong LCA partner will confirm the prevailing PCR, collect plant‑level utility and material data for a recent reference year, and package it with verification through the program operator the sales team prefers. The work is real, but the ROI shows up in fewer substitutions and cleaner buyout.
Competitive set on jobs
Expect frequent comparisons with:
- Cummins and Kohler for like‑kind generators in healthcare and light industrial
- Rolls‑Royce mtu and Caterpillar for large diesel packages in data centers and campuses
- Eaton, ABB, and Schneider Electric for transfer switches, switchgear, and UPS that round out power chains That is the arena where EPDs shorten back‑and‑forth and keep bids moving.
What to do next if you lead product
Pick one high‑runner product family first, not the entire catalog. Start with industrial transfer switches or a core diesel genset series. Align on EN 50693 scope, then build a repeatable data playbook so additional ratings come faster. The win is simple: fewer redlines, less argument about defaults, and a clearer path to the approved list. Do it once well, then scale. Even one mid‑sized project win often covers the initial LCA+EPD effort, but most orgainzations only notice the projects they win, not the ones that quietly slip away.
Bottom line for specability
Generac’s product breadth is an advantage. Their EPD footprint is the gap. Publishing a steady cadence of product‑specific declarations for transfer switches, microgrid cabinets, and flagship gensets would turn more “maybe” specs into locked‑in schedules on LEED v5 projects and corporate carbon programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does LEED v5 still recognize EPDs for electrotechnical products that are not EN 15804 building materials?
Yes. USGBC recognizes ISO 14025 Type III EPDs and references EN 15804 or ISO 21930 for building products, with ISO 14025 acceptable for products outside that scope. Teams commonly use EN 50693‑aligned EPDs for electrotechnical gear, as seen in 2025 generator EPDs in EPD International’s registry (USGBC, 2024; EPD International, 2025).
What product should Generac document first to move the needle fastest?
Industrial transfer switches or a 1 MW‑class diesel genset series. These are frequent line items in healthcare and data center specs, and competitors already show published declarations in adjacent or like‑kind categories, which sets buyer expectations.
Is a single EPD enough for a broad generator range?
Start with a representative model, then build family declarations or additional product‑specific EPDs. The key is a repeatable data pipeline and an agreed PCR path so verification cycles accelerate with each subsequent model.
About the Author
John brings a clear, research-driven perspective on the EPD, LCA and HPD space and keeps a close pulse on environmental trends and standards in North America, helping clients understand where the industry is heading and how to get there.
