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It is frequently more
convenient and cost effective to power a backup generator with gaseous fuel such
as Natural Gas or Propane. Gaseous fuels burn cleanly and are either abundantly
available through your gas main or from a propane tank already on site.
Gasoline and gaseous fueled generators about half the cost of diesel generators
but require more maintenance and do not have the same durability.
Gaseous fuels will provide
you with potentially unlimited back up power run time during extended utility
power failures.
Every
fuel has advantages......
Advantages
of Gaseous Fuels
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Clean burning. It leaves no
lead, varnish, or carbon deposits that cause the premature wearing of pistons,
rings, valves, and spark plugs. The engine stays clean, free of carbon and
sludge. This means less maintenance and an extended engine life.
-
Properly maintained,
gaseous-fuelled engines produce less air pollution than gasoline or diesel
engines, according to studies conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency.
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Gaseous fuel does not have
the dangers (such as fumes and spills) associated with gasoline or diesel
fuel.
-
As a internal combustion
fuel fuel, gaseous fuels do not require the additives that are usually
blended into some grades of gasoline.
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Unlike liquid petroleum
fuels, most of the gaseous used in Canada and the United States comes from
North American sources.
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By a four-to-one margin,
the safest way to provide heat is with gas. That's what the National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA) concluded in its study, U.S. Home Heating Fire
Patterns and Trends.
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gaseous fuel is non-toxic,
so it's not harmful to soil and water.
-
gaseous fuel has an
enviable safety record due in large part to the stringent codes and
regulations developed by the government and industry.
Advantages of Propane
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Long shelf
life
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Easily stored in both large
tanks or smaller cylinders
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Obtainable during power
outages
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Home delivery available for
large tanks
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With propane's simple
molecular composition, propane-fuelled vehicles emit significantly lower
levels of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides than
gasoline-fuelled vehicles. The level of toxic air emissions from
propane-fuelled vehicles is also low.
Advantages of Natural Gas
-
Unlimited fuel source, no
refilling required Natural gas can be piped directly to the generator,
eliminating the need for periodic refueling during the outage.
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Usually
available during power outages.
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Natural gas
engines had 53% lower oxides of nitrogen (NO), 85% lower total particulate
matter (TPM), and 89% lower carbon monoxide (CO) than diesel.
Advantages of Diesel
-
Frequently the most cost effective choice
of fuel due to its low price relative to the BTU value (energy content)
purchased.
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Diesel fuel is very dense relative to its
BTU value and does not require heavy tanks to transport, which frequently
makes diesel the fuel of choice when carried to difficult to reach location.
-
Can be manufactured from renewable
resources (biodiesel)
-
If properly stored and conditioned, diesel
can be stored for many years.
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Diesel performance is better in terms of
engine output you can expect about 30% power more output from diesel compared
to gasoline.
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Because of lower per kilowatt fuel
consumption diesel engines generally release less carbondioxide.
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