Benefits of Using Natural Gas Generators in Standby Applications

For critical facilities, like hospitals, data centers, food and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities and oil & gas-related sites, a constant supply of power is indispensable. Standby rental power plants guarantee the continuous supply of reliable electricity in the event of power failure. Standby temporary power systems fundamentally have limited hours of operation, because they are only activated when the power is cut from the primary electricity source. Therefore, the more hours the standby power station operates, the more important the fuel choice becomes.

Among the rental power technologies available, diesel generators still remain the most popular for standby applications, largely due to economy, wide availability of fuel, fuel safety, ease of installation and typically better transient (load acceptance) capabilities. However, it is notable that generators running on natural gas are progressively gaining ground as a standby power solution, largely owing to ease of maintenance and environmental stewardship. The market expansion of such technology is spurred by the availability of inexpensive locally extracted natural gas, strict emission regulations in many countries around the world, and an increasing number of longer-term temporary power requirements.

One of the most salient advantages of using natural gas in standby application is the availability of a reliable fuel supply. Natural gas lines produce a round-the-clock supply that runs underground, which means that they are generally protected from natural disasters, like storms, floods and hurricanes. In addition, this set-up also eliminates the need for fuel storage tanks, which in turn will require refueling, regulation and maintenance.

Natural gas rental power plants also see reduced expenditure related to manpower, fuel storage and fuel treatment. A standby power station usually operates between 50 and 100 hours per year, at most 500. Calculating using the prevailing fuel price, Caterpillar declares that a standby power station running on natural gas operated for only 50 hours per year can save more than USD 15,000 per year in fuel costs. Therefore, utilizing natural gas-powered standby power plants during an extended outage can considerably reduce operating costs.

Another benefit to opting for natural gas standby power plants is reduced exhaust emissions. Studies conducted in different rental power plants sites around the world show that natural gas temporary power stations can surpass the worldwide NOx emission requirements, emitting only 250 mg/Nm3 even without after treatment. Running on a lean mixture of fuel and air, lean-burn natural gas gensets release up to five times less NOx and virtually zero particulate matter.

Natural gas gensets are also used as emergency, continuous or peaking power. Do you want to learn more about large-scale natural gas generator sets and their wide range of applications? Visit our website at www.altaaqaglobal.com.

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Encouraging Outlook for the Middle East Rental Power Market

The rental power market in the Middle East has remained buoyant, and is predicted to go on expanding in years to come. Buoyed by the development of new rental power technologies, interim power stations will continue to find application in a variety of sectors, including utility markets, extractive industries like mining and oil & gas, large process industries and major infrastructure construction projects.

Among the rental power technologies available, diesel generators will continue to dominate the market, largely due to the wide availability of fuel, fuel safety & economy and ease of installment. However, it is helpful to note that generators running on other fuels, such as natural gas and dual-fuel (a combination of diesel and gas), are progressively gaining ground. The market expansion of such technologies is spurred by the increasing availability of inexpensive locally extracted natural gas and the strict emission regulations in many countries around the world.

There have been observed limitations on the growth of the natural gas generator market, including fuel availability, and the prohibitive cost of installing safe and reliable fuel delivery infrastructure. Today, these are gradually being mitigated by the availability of cost-effective natural gas resources, and the application of natural gas technologies in bigger and longer-duration projects. In addition, dual-fuel generators simplifies the transition from diesel-run to gas-run generators.

There is also a growing trend towards the use of renewables in the region, particularly solar. As technology here develops, it is inevitable that they will play an increasingly important role in the future energy mix, and in the development of hybrid solutions with diesel or natural gas generators.

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Rental Power Plants Mitigate the Effects of Power Cuts on Manufacturing Facilities

Several hydropower-dependent countries around the world are currently experiencing the disruptive effects of prolonged droughts and low-rain season, not helped by the El Niño weather phenomenon being felt by most such areas. Power utilities in these countries have rolled out load shedding schemes in an effort to distribute the limited available power. Despite such initiatives, the power supply in these areas still remains scarce that residents, businesses and industrial facilities have been enduring power cuts that last for as much as 24 hours…

The power crisis in these hydropower dependent countries has adversely affected small-, medium- and large-scale manufacturing enterprises, which typically account for the majority of employment in such areas. In addition to lamenting about the debilitating consequences of power interruptions on operations, business operators have been complaining about employee productivity, saying that the usual 8 AM to 5 PM shift of their employees has been rendered academic, because workers spend most of their time doing no work due to power cuts. “In most cases,” commented a facility manager, “power is restored at the end of the day. Since we cannot predict when the power will go out, it has become difficult to plan the shifts, because no one knows the time when the power will be available.”

As a result of the prevailing constant load shedding, manufacturing industry players predict that a considerable number of companies will close down or cut back on expansion projects that would have created viable job opportunities. “We have not evaluated the damage of the power shortage,” said an industry player, “but we have seen that the power cuts have not spared even the large industrial areas.” The lack of assurance in the electricity supply, he continued, would force more companies to lay off workers due to their inability to sustain overhead costs amidst the little or absent production. “Because of the power supply insufficiency,” he added, “manufacturing companies will incur higher production costs due to start-stop production. They will also suffer substantial losses and increased fixed costs per unit due to lower volumes.”

In times of persistent load shedding, manufacturing companies will find tremendous economic benefits in hiring the services of temporary power providers. Reliable electricity is the lifeblood of manufacturing companies, and renting large-scale power plants can guarantee a constant supply of power to their facilities without the need to spend scarce CAPEX in building permanent power stations. In these difficult times for the industry, manufacturing companies will appreciate the fact that they can pay for the electricity produced by hired power plants from their operating revenues. Manufacturing companies can also choose to add power modules to the rental power plants as their operations expand and their requirement for electricity increase, for instance during peak production seasons.

Rental power plants are not only reliable, they are also environmentally friendly. Modern rental generators boast of cleaner operations, being able to run on a variety of fuels, including natural gas or dual-fuel. Studies conducted in different rental power plants sites around the world show that temporary power stations, like those running on natural gas, can surpass the worldwide NOx emission requirements, emitting only 250 mg/Nm3 even without after treatment.

“Electricity is a critical input to production,” said another industry player, as he shared the apprehension of other business operators about not reaching their respective production targets for 2015. “We understand that the ongoing power situation is a crisis. We, need, however, to save the critical sectors that generate and create business for the country and employment for its people.”

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Can We Capture and Utilize the Electrons Produced Through Photosynthesis?

We were taught about photosynthesis in school – a process through which plants convert sunlight into food. Approximately all of the photons captured by plants from sunlight are turned into electrons, which then go through further processes to generate sugars.

But, did you know that photosynthesis can be interrupted to capture and utilize the electrons produced through it? A study conducted by the University of Georgia is focused on harnessing the power of these electrons to generate electricity.

How is it possible? 

The key is in extracting certain parts of plants that lead to thylakoids, the photosynthetic reaction, and then immobilize them on a bed of carbon nanotubes that will play the role of effective electrical conductors to capture and send the electrons on, along the wire. Then, with a consistent light flow, there will also be a continuous flow of electrons that can be converted to electrical power.

The roadmap ahead

The scholars agree that there is still a lot to cover and more complicated processes to be handled in relation to taking the thylakoids out of a plant. They believe that this machinery would eventually have to be genetically engineered to maintain stability throughout the process and completely harness the potential of the system.

Once the system is stably in place, the researchers believe that the applications for this technology are endless. This entirely clean energy source will be capable of acting as a true source of electricity for various machinery and for remote locations.

While the technology is still being enhanced and optimized, existing alternative sources of electricity, like rental power plants, can fill in the gap in power supply, where and when needed. Temporary power plants, which do not call for a huge CAPEX, can be easily deployed and installed at almost any conceivable location or site on Earth. They can be tailored to precisely respond to the power needs of any operation, and can be ramped up or scaled down depending on the requirement. They do not require extensive civil work to begin operating, and can function even without substations. Moreover, modern rental power stations are environmentally friendly, at times even doing better than the global emission benchmark.

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