Benefits of Installing a Natural Gas Generator
Businesses and facilities can benefit from installing a backup commercial generator in the event of a power outage due to inclement weather, winter storms, natural disasters, man-made disasters, or the aging power grid. While the benefits are many, the process starts with making a key decision – diesel or natural gas?
Diesel and natural gas generators both work similarly in that they deliver about the same amounts of power. Diesel generators are a popular choice for backup power, but natural gas generators have their own merits that allow them to compete against these commercial generators and also be a preferred option within certain industries and locations.
Benefits of Natural Gas Generators
Commercial natural gas generators, as their name states, use natural gas as their fuel source. When looking for a commercial generator for your business operations, industrial applications, or facility, there are a few items to keep in mind when considering a natural gas generator.
Cost of Acquisition
Upfront costs are an important item to consider when first conducting research on a generator purchase. If you are looking at commercial generators that are rated at 150 kW or higher, natural gas generators are generally cheaper than their diesel generator counterparts.
Fuel Supply
Unlike diesel generators that have limited fuel supplies in the way of a diesel fuel tank, natural gas generators can be connected to the local natural gas pipeline. Barring natural disasters, utility failure, or other factors that could impact the natural gas line means that you won’t have to worry about fuel supply.
Fuel Cost
Diesel fuel is often more expensive than the cost of natural gas. If natural gas maintains a low cost, then overall long-term operating costs will also be lower when compared to diesel fuel.
Emissions
Out of all the fuel types commonly used in the generator industry, natural gas is one of the fossil fuels that burn the cleanest, which means that natural gas releases less toxins and particulates into the atmosphere.
Sound
Natural gas generators generally run quieter than diesel generators, which make be an important factor if you are installing the generator in a generator room or in an area that has a local noise ordinance in place. If noise is a huge factor, there are also enclosures available that help reduce the generator sound (known as sound-attenuation) available for both diesel and natural gas generator configurations.
Downside of Natural Gas Generators
While natural gas generators have a lot of great benefits offered for commercial generator uses & applications, there are a few downsides that should be mentioned.
Maintenance
Natural gas generators require more maintenance, which result in higher maintenance costs and potentially more downtime. While we mentioned earlier that the cost of acquisition may be lower when compared to their diesel counterparts, general routine service & maintenance can end up costing more over time.
Safety
Simply put – natural gas is explosive. Natural gas generators also have hoses and lines that could wear and crack over time, which can allow gas to leak through and lead to poisoning.
Lifespan
Natural gas generators are known to have a generally shorter lifespan when compared to their diesel generators counterparts. Though this does not mean natural gas generators are inferior or will break down quickly, natural gas generators will require more frequent routine inspections, service, and maintenance to ensure that it is running at peak efficiency.
Fuel Supply
While ready availability of natural gas means ease of access to a steady fuel supply is considered a plus, it’s also a con at the same time. Natural disasters and utility failures like a burst in the natural gas pipe will prompt utility companies to cut off the gas supply, which could affect the ability of the natural gas generator to run. In the case of some natural gas generators, there are conversion kits available that allow generator operators to run liquid petroleum gas (LPG for short), otherwise known as propane as a fuel source. An alternative is purchasing a natural gas generator that can run off of both natural gas and propane gas.
If you’re looking for a natural gas generator for your business operations, industrial applications, or facility, please reach out to us at Woodstock Power Company!
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THE WOODSTOCK POWER COMPANY EXPERIENCE
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