E+C August 2018

POWER QUALITY, STANDBY + BACK-UP

Natural gas generators in standby applications

Nalen Alwar, Altaaqa Global

For critical facilities, such as hospitals, data centres, food and pharmaceutical man- ufacturing facilities, and oil and gas-related sites, a constant supply of power is in- dispensable.

Take Note!

The advantages of using a natural gas generator include: Decrease in operating costs. Reduced exhaust emis- sions. No need for refuelling, regulation and mainte- nance. 1 2 3

S tandby power plants guarantee a continu- ous supply of reliable electricity in the event of a power failure. The operation time of standby power systems is fundamentally limited because they are only activated when the power is cut from the primary source of electricity. There-

fore, the longer the standby power station is in operation, the more important the choice of fuel choice. Among the power technologies available, diesel generators still remain the most popular for stand- by applications, largely due to economic factors, wide availability, fuel safety, ease of installation and, typically, better transient (load acceptance) capabilities. However, it is notable that generators that run on natural gas are progressively gaining ground as standby power solutions, mainly owing to ease of maintenance and environmental stew- ardship. The market expansion of such technology is spurred on by the availability of inexpensive lo- cally-extracted natural gas, strict emission regula- tions in many countries around the world, and an increasing number of longer-term power require- ments. One of the most salient advantages of using natural gas in a standby application is the availa- bility of this reliable fuel supply. Natural gas lines, which run underground, produce a round-the-clock supply, meaning that they are generally protected from natural disasters, such as storms, floods and hurricanes; and in addition, because of the un- derground setup, the need for fuel storage tanks. Consequently, there is no requirement for refuel- ling, regulation or maintenance. Natural gas rental power plants also see re- duced expenditure related to manpower, fuel stor- age and fuel treatment. A standby power station is

30 Electricity + Control

AUGUST 2018