4 Petroleum-Based Fuel Sources for Generators
If your business is essential, you need to be able to serve your customers regardless of local or global catastrophes. Since staying open is a priority, one of the most important pieces of equipment every essential business should have is a generator. With a good emergency generator, you can keep your operations running smoothly at all times.
When choosing a generator, you need to make a critical decision: which fuel source should your generator run on? Despite recent advancements in the solar power industry, most generators run at least partially on petroleum-based fuel sources to ensure they can provide power in any situation. This blog post covers common fuel sources for emergency generators.
1. Diesel Fuel
Since generator owners need to have convenient access to fuel, a common type of fuel for generators is diesel fuel. This fuel source is easily found at most gas stations across the country, so almost anyone can purchase it in moderate quantities without hassle.
Diesel-powered generators work well as emergency generators for a few key reasons. Most importantly, they are known for having a fast kick-in time, so businesses and public buildings that rely on them for power aren't left hanging for a few minutes after every outage. They are also ubiquitous, so sourcing a diesel-powered generator for any situation is simple.
They do have drawbacks though. Although storing diesel fuel is easy - simply place it in a clean storage container or tank - most diesel fuel only has a short shelf life. This shelf life can be extended with additives and fuel polishing, though. Additionally, diesel-powered generators are known for being loud, which may disrupt the operations of some businesses.
2. Gasoline
Like diesel-powered generators, gasoline-powered generators are common due to how readily available their fuel source is. Every gas station has gasoline, and even very small towns are likely to have gas stations.
Despite the ease of fueling a gasoline-fueled generator, they aren't as common as diesel-fueled generators due to several significant drawbacks of using gasoline. Gasoline only has a short shelf life, and storing large quantities of it can be dangerous because it is both flammable and explosive. The
generators that run on gasoline are also relatively inefficient, compared to other petroleum-product fueled generators.
3. Propane
Another great fuel option for emergency generators is propane gas. Propane burns very cleanly compared to gasoline and diesel, and propane-fueled generators are quiet and efficient. Propane also has a virtually indefinite shelf life only limited to the lifespan of the container it is stored in.
All of these positive features make propane-fueled generators worthwhile for some people, but propane does have its drawbacks, too. All propane gas must go in pressurized tanks and go directly to the generator. These tanks can store thousands of gallons of fuel for use in an emergency, but that fuel may be expensive to purchase.
Overall, propane generators can be expensive to operate, but they are clean, efficient, and relatively hassle-free machines that work well for emergency use.
4. Natural Gas
For business owners in a relatively large town or city, natural gas generators may be a great option. The gas burns exceptionally cleanly, and most natural gas generators run quietly and are relatively inexpensive to purchase on their own.
Natural gas is only available through pipelines from distributors, who store the gas in large underground reservoirs. Since these distributors have a very large supply of natural gas, anyone with a generator powered by natural gas has an almost unlimited supply of fuel ready for use at a moment's notice. Be prepared for high installation costs as they include gas line installation fees.
If your area is prone to earthquakes, another fuel source may be more appropriate for an emergency generator. If your generator's connection to the distributor's fuel storage location disconnects anywhere along the line, you will be unable to power your generator.
Paul Murray Oil can provide you with petroleum-based fuels. If you have any questions about fueling generators with the fuels detailed above, give us a call today. We can help you get the fuel you need in an emergency or choose a generator that runs on a fuel type that will suit your needs.