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There is a great deal of talk about natural gas and liquid petroleum gas (LPG) in the power supply industry and there are a lot of advantages to both. These benefits range from power quality and fuel supply through to fuel costs and functionality. To help differentiate the two, in this blog, we thought we’d talk a little bit more about both natural gas generators and liquid petroleum gas generators so that you get better insight the next time you look to purchase one from the team here at Dale. We’ll discuss each generator and then examine the benefits of having either a natural gas generator or an LPG generator.
A natural gas generator runs on natural gas as opposed to other fuels such as diesel or petrol. Power generation of this fuel type, that runs on alternative fuels, tends to be more cost-effective and efficient to operate compared to other types of generators.
There are two main types of natural gas generators – Standby Generators and Prime Generators.
Standby generators can be used in industrial settings, can be permanently installed and get their fuel supply from a local utility company. In the event of a power outage, this generator will produce backup power automatically. They are only intended to run for a short period of time until the main generator power source, connected to the power grid, has been fixed. If it is used for longer than is intended, it can completely shut down because of this abnormal demand on use. Natural gas standby generators make great backup generators as it’s rare that natural gas pipes suffer from issues because they are buried so deep underground.
Prime power generators are used when businesses or facilities are located in remote areas where a local utility centre or power grid is not immediately available. Prime power generators have much longer running times than their standby generator cousin. And because of their high power, they can handle greater loads. A subset of these generators are called ‘continuous power generators’, and these run constantly at a load that is preset where prime generators run for long times at different levels.
LPG Generators run on liquid petroleum gas and have become very popular in the industrial sector. This is because of their low running costs which stems from the fact that bottled gas can be up to half the price of other fuels. For those who have high fuel usage – for example, they operate 24/7, LPG generators can be a great choice.
LPG is a hydrocarbon gas that exists in liquid form, and it is highly efficient, low carbon and completely colourless. It is often stored in pressurized vessels like a gas bottle of LPG tanks because it boils when exposed to low temperatures, and this storage solution is done to avoid it evaporating.
There are plenty of differences between these two generators from their fuel usage and fuel type through to the level of generator power. One of the big differences is the way that the two are burnt. LPG has a high energy content therefore less gas is required to produce an equal amount of heat. Another difference is to do with the oxygen to gas ratio required for combustion.
The two generators run on chemically different gasses too. Natural gas generators run on methane whereas LPG relies on either propane or butane.
If you’ve been in the market for an LPG generator or natural gas generator, then we have a great selection from which you can choose.
Because LPG is stored as a gas, it’s less likely to be stolen and there is no chance of dangerous fuel spills which often happen with diesel-powered generators.
LPG generators are powered by gas and are therefore much quieter because there aren’t gallons of liquid being pumped through. And, as a result, their parts last far longer which reduces the impact of downtime on site.
They are also super easy to refuel, much safer and are perfect for emergency power. Again, because you don’t have to deal with liquids.
Compressed natural gas doesn’t need to be stored onsite. It can be delivered as and when it is needed by utility lines.
While not being entirely renewable, natural gas is one of the cleanest burning fossil fuels around. In terms of greenhouse gas, it produces around half the sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and mercury.
It generates fewer emissions therefore it’s less regulated meaning getting a permit to operate one is much easier.
There are a number of clear benefits to running a LPG or Natural Gas Generator, power quality, fuel supply, fuel costs and functionality.