Environmental and operational advantages of natural gas
Compared to diesel, natural gas is significantly cleaner for the environment, releasing measurably lower amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Greenhouse gases like CO2 trap heat, contributing massively to the global warming crisis. This leads to increased instances of extreme weather events such as more intense storms, shifting climate patterns, and drought. Unplanned outages from storms are one of the main reasons we require backup power, and it doesn’t make sense to exacerbate the problem with more greenhouse gases from diesel-powered generators. Cleaner-burning natural gas also benefits our communities by reducing health issues related to diesel fuel’s impact on air quality. Additionally, natural gas emits less odor and typically runs much quieter than diesel-powered systems.
Natural gas and diesel availability and reliability
Natural gas generators have a significant advantage due to their connection to the existing gas pipeline infrastructure, ensuring a steady fuel supply even during extended outages. Diesel generators, however, rely on stored fuel, which requires frequent deliveries and can be disrupted by weather conditions or supply chain issues. More and more, these extreme weather events cause outages that last beyond the normal diesel storage capacity, necessitating constant refueling to keep operations running. During such times, the increase in people looking for diesel at the same time inevitably leads to shortages and delays.
Take Winter Storm Uri for instance, when well over a million gallons of diesel was burned in one week. The logistics of sourcing and staging fuel to keep that fleet running was a Herculean effort, with dedicated resources focused solely on fueling around the clock. In contrast, Enchanted Rock’s natural gas generators had no such issues when it came to fuel—they just ran. The resilience of natural gas systems was evident then, and our generators continue to operate smoothly through severe weather and market fluctuations, allowing businesses to focus on operations instead of managing diesel fuel delivery logistics.
Fuel storage and safety
A single 500 kW generator running at full load needs around 35 gal/hr of fuel, and that starts to add up quickly when you’re facing a multi-day, long-duration outage. Because they use existing pipeline infrastructure, natural gas generators eliminate the logistics of fuel delivers as well as the need for onsite fuel storage, which can further reduce the risk of spills and contamination. And since diesel fuel requires enhanced safe storage solutions, it is prone to degradation over time that can cause particulate formation, it poses a higher fire risk, and the potential for fuel spillage during refueling operations.
Operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness
Natural gas generators are the ideal foundation for a backup resiliency service that provides lower emissions, quick-start generation, and a consistent fuel supply. Enchanted Rock offers natural gas generators ranging from 450 kW to full microgrids delivering hundreds of MWs, which means there’s a generator system that can support operational needs both big and small. And whether your resiliency strategy calls for one generator or multiple generators, our standardized technology keeps installation, operations and maintenance plans, and a variety of ongoing support consistent across the board – especially when it comes to cost efficiencies.
The national average retail price of compressed natural gas compared to diesel is nearly 80 cents less per diesel gallon equivalent, which means operating costs can rise exponentially when running diesel generators for multiple days. Additionally, the dual-purpose capabilities of Enchanted Rock’s generators can capture short-term price spikes in the energy market, offsetting costs and supporting the grid during peak demand.
Real-world experience
Widespread diesel generator failures have happened before, and they will happen again – most recently occurring during Hurricane Sandy in 2021, when the failures had a significant impact on emergency services and hospitals. When extreme weather events like Winter Storm Uri, Hurricane Hanna, tropical depressions, and flash flooding occur, our natural gas microgrids have provided consistent, reliable power without the logistical challenges of diesel refueling. (Diesel generator performance during Hurricane Beryl is still being evaluated as this article was being written, but it will be interesting to see what the data tells us about the Houston area.)
From my extensive experience running a fleet of natural gas microgrids and a diesel merchant fleet through every storm and real-time market spike in the ERCOT Texas market since 2020, I can attest to the superior performance and reliability of natural gas generators. Our diesel generators, while robust, required more frequent attention and presented greater logistical challenges during prolonged outages. The seamless operation of our natural gas generators ensured uninterrupted power supply and highlighted their superiority in terms of fuel resiliency, efficiency, and environmental impact.
When your business or operation loses power, backup power generation systems must fire up and begin protecting your assets immediately without fail to avoid losses or potential safety issues. As extreme weather and overburdened grid infrastructure make our power supply increasingly tenuous, any further delay in establishing an effective resiliency strategy could be a costly mistake. In both instances, natural gas is the most logical and responsible decision you can make when choosing a generator system that ensures reliable power during outages longer than 24-48 hours and mitigates supply and delivery disruptions related to diesel.
