Power outages are bound to happen, whether they’re predictable or without notice, such as strong winds, severe weather, or even unprecedented such as equipment failures or blackouts, when it comes to the power grid. Regardless of the causes, power outages can range in severity, such as a few short minutes of inconvenience to a costly hazard that takes weeks. Whether it is natural gas, gasoline, or other types, generators all deliver electricity to keep your home or business running and up for when the main electricity system fails.
The differences between generators can seem insignificant on the outside at a quick glance, but the savings and cleaner energy differences can make a large impact on both your energy bills and your carbon footprint. Our article below will explain what a natural gas generator is, how it works, the pros and cons, and if it might be the right fit for your needs.
What is a natural gas generator?
A natural gas generator is a cleaner and easier source of electricity in your home than a regular gasoline generator. It’s safer and is more cost-effective as well. Generators use mechanical energy and are fueled by, in this case, natural gas, to create electricity. Natural gas generators use fuels such as propane or natural gas, drawn either from a direct line piped in by utility suppliers or via a tank, to generate the cleanest fossil fuel electricity possible for your home or business.
Natural gas generators are a widespread and well-used choice for many reasons, including cleaner emissions, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency, but other advantages and disadvantages.
What are the benefits and cons of using natural gas generators?
They have numerous advantages that lead to why they are such a widely used source of electricity generation.
Cleaner Emissions – Natural gas is a relatively clean-burning fuel compared to diesel or gasoline. It produces fewer pollutant emissions, such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. There is no smell in your home, and it isn’t leaving such a large carbon footprint.
Quiet Operations – Compared to diesel or other gasoline generators, natural gas generators are much quieter and are suitable for a variety of environments, including residential areas, which is definitely a bonus for many homeowners and businesses.
Cost-Effectiveness – Natural gas prices are generally more stable than diesel or gasoline. This results in more predictable operating costs and bills down the line and throughout the lifetime of the generator itself.
Quick start and responses – Natural gas generators can start and reach full power output quickly, which is critical in scenarios that require immediate backup power. Especially in large businesses and industrial scenarios, or hospitals, etc.
Efficiency – Natural gas properties and advanced engine technology make it so that natural gas engines can achieve high levels of efficiency, which is important when it comes to ease of use, bills, and more.
Environmental – Lower natural gas emissions help reduce environmental impact and can help organizations meet sustainability goals and requirements that help businesses, residential, and industrial energy consumers meet goal requirements while helping the environment as well.
More reasons to consider a natural gas generator are that they reliably back up electricity and are ready to switch on when detecting an outage at a moment’s notice, with little to no disruption in power. Unlike diesel or gasoline generators, you don’t need to plan ahead or worry if fuel has gone bad, or even where to store fuel. It’s less expensive to operate and is an affordable fuel source, especially when compared to most other generator types. It can also cost significantly less just to set up and run.
The sizing is customizable and is capable of powering a few appliances in your home or your whole home, or your business. Portable generators can only really power an appliance or two. Natural gas generators come in a variety of sizes for your needs, and install one that works best for your situation.
The only real downsides to natural gas generators are that since they depend on your home’s infrastructure for the gas line to be continuously attached and working, if something gets in the way to make the gas line go down, the generator won’t have access to a consistent fuel source. Natural gas generators are also stationary, which limits their portability and limits where they can be moved.
Key factors to consider about natural gas generators
Power requirements, phases, local code and regulations, and more are all important factors when it comes to choosing natural gas generators and having them set up in whichever factor works best for your setup or future setups that may be needed to be changed. The following key factors are important to consider.
Power requirements – By evaluating your home or business’s power needs by calculating the total wattage required to run essential appliances, equipment, and systems during a power outage. This will help you determine the required output power of the generator in kilowatts (kW)
Load type – Different appliances and equipment have different starting and operating requirements for power. Some equipment, like air conditioners and motors, do require a higher initial surge to start up, and that needs to be accounted for in any initial calculations necessary.
Single phase or three phase – Determining if your business or facility requires a single- or three-phase power. Single-phase power is most common in homes and small businesses, while larger industrial applications will often use three-phase power.
The other important factors are local codes and regulations, such as checking local building codes that may dictate maximum size allowances for generators or emission standards that are in your area. These are most often dealt with first and are important to look into, since it does affect most other requirements and options. Future growth as well is important to think of, as any potential increases in electricity demands due to business expansions, equipment, or other changes are always good to plan for extra capacity and not set your generator up for failure from the start.
Natural gas generators are dependable and effective options for ensuring that you have power continuity throughout the year, during blackouts, and in other various scenarios that may affect power, such as severe weather conditions, especially in Canada. By choosing natural gas generation, understanding its operating procedures, and the pros, cons, and benefits that come with it, businesses can better determine whether it works for them and their needs. They are well-liked for backup power alternatives, and when properly sized for the area and amount they need to cover, it’s an easy and effective generator that can last almost indefinitely, especially when it comes to being used as backups.
The accurate size of a generator is an essential aspect of guaranteeing that it will be able to meet everything thrown at it, with room to spare and continue growing along with businesses and companies’ demands. With more advancements in technology every year, generators themselves are in a position to be better and do more for future proofing, as the electricity demand becomes higher in every country across the globe.
In the end, choosing to go with a natural gas generator can help save money, work more efficiently and effectively, and be more consistent during an emergency while also being cleaner for the environment. They can work for many sizes of homes, needs, businesses, and even larger businesses that may need a larger generator to work.
Home batteries and more information about generators and energy efficiency can be found at EnergyRates.ca, including rates and other articles for learning to stay informed and on top of what the best course of action can be for your electricity or natural gas needs, regardless if you’re a household, a small business or a large commercial energy consumer.
