PROPANE FOR POWER GENERATION
From the moment you break ground, there’s one thing all of your building projects and even completed projects have in common: the need for reliable, affordable power. And with today’s focus on the environmental impact of the energy choices we make, we can add sustainable to the list, too.
Propane offers scalability and performance to power any size of project or business. It’s the smart choice for towable and portable power on construction sites, for prime power generation in businesses and ag operations, and even standby power that’s ready for anything. Discover the difference propane power generation can make in your projects.
TYPES OF PROPANE POWER GENERATION
For whatever type of power you need on your project, you can count on propane power generation to get the job done, reliably, affordably, and with minimal environmental impact.
PRIME POWER
HEAVY-DUTY COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL USE
Propane prime power generators are exactly what they sound like: The primary source of power for heavy-duty commercial and industrial applications that are isolated from a central energy grid. These include everything from ag and mining operations to microgrids and even off-grid military bases.
Typically, these locations will still have some access to electricity, up to a certain threshold. Once that threshold is reached, the prime power generator makes up the difference for what power is needed. In areas or times when overloads to the grid may occur, these prime power systems can offset load demand, to the benefit of the utility and the user alike.
What Propane Prime Power Can Do
- Supply primary power in locations with no access to the electrical grid, or at times when cost or reliability make reliance on the grid impractical.
- Keep an operation running affordably and sustainably. Propane is a nontoxic, low-emissions energy source that can be put to work anywhere.
- Operate 24/7 almost indefinitely. Propane prime power generators have lifecycles from 30,000 hours up to 40,000 hours.
STANDBY POWER
RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL USE
A reliable propane standby generator is a key part of resilient design. When the power is knocked out, standby power kicks in almost instantly, so there’s no disruption in heating or cooling, lighting, refrigeration, and other critical building systems. These permanently installed units are quiet, efficient, clean, and can operate for weeks until power is restored. For homeowners, a standby generator means keeping the family safe, secure, and comfortable. For a business, it can prevent thousands of dollars in losses and help keep the doors open.
Propane may be the ultimate standby generator energy source. Not only is propane safer to work with than gasoline or diesel, it doesn’t degrade over time like those other fuels. It’s always ready at the moment it’s needed most.
What a Building Protected by Propane Standby Power Can Do
- Resist hazards brought on by major disasters, such as damage to electronics, spoiled food, loss of heat or air conditioning, and more.
- Prevent disruption to a home or business. Propane standby generators begin operating in as little as 10 seconds after a main power outage.
- Reduce the magnitude or duration of a disruptive event to a property.
TOWABLE & PORTABLE
RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL USE
When you need power on a temporary basis, propane towable and portable generators have you covered. You’ll find these units hard at work powering tools and equipment on job sites, as well as protecting homes and businesses after power outages. Towable units are typically more powerful than the smaller portable generators, though a portable unit can power almost as much as a standby generator. Propane-powered portable generators are 98 percent cleaner than diesel-fueled equivalents.
Why Choose Towable/Portable Propane Power Generation
- Because they’re not permanently installed, they can be moved and used nearly anywhere, providing power as needed.
- Propane portable generators are less expensive to operate than diesel-fueled units.
- Towable propane-powered generators are quieter than diesel and able to store fuel for longer run times in between refueling.
MICRO-CHPS
RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL USE
Combined Heat and Power units (CHPs) have been around for a long time. With the introduction of small, powerful micro-CHPs, these units are growing in popularity for homes and businesses alike. Propane-powered micro-CHPs create electricity for a home or business using a built-in generator, and at the same time, capture the heat from the generator to produce hot water. What’s more, in some markets, micro-CHPs powered by propane can generate more affordable electricity than the local utility provides.
Other Benefits of a Propane Micro-CHP System
- Designed to run indefinitely, they’re an ideal choice for any building with a high thermal load.
- Propane Micro-CHP units produce far fewer harmful emissions compared with electric grid power, which is typically produced by coal.
- The hot water the Micro-CHP produces can be used for laundry, heated driveways and sidewalks to remove snow, hot tubs, pools, and more.
MICROGRID
RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL USE
Another power option that’s seeing increased use is the microgrid: A miniature power grid system designed to efficiently distribute power to nearby homes or buildings. While a microgrid’s primary power supply is the main electrical grid, it can also operate independently should the main grid fail, thanks to renewables such as solar or wind, as well as backup energy sources including propane. As a result, a microgrid is more resilient, as well as affordable, sustainable, and safe.
The Advantages of a Microgrid
- Unlike a standby generator, a microgrid can supply power to multiple buildings or even an entire community in the event of a planned or unplanned main power grid outage.
- By collecting and storing electricity from solar panels and wind turbines, the microgrid only uses its propane generator as needed, making it incredibly efficient and environmentally friendly.
- Every aspect of the microgrid’s performance is locally controlled at a centralized station.
A DIFFERENTIATOR FOR BUILDING PROS
By choosing propane, you’re literally empowering your customers and building your authority as a trusted partner. We’re here to show you how to make the most of the new generator technologies and products available on the market and incorporate them into your business. In the e-book below, we’ll provide guidance and advice from pros designing cutting-edge applications that combine propane with renewable resources like solar power and waste heat — both on and off the grid. And we’ll show examples of innovative projects using propane to run more reliably and more efficiently. With these strategies, your next project won’t require a leap of faith. This is a proven roadmap to a more resilient future.
