What Is a Natural Gas Generator?

There are a dozen great reasons to have a generator on hand. These nifty devices offer flexible power in places that can’t access mainline power and in times when the main power grid is down. But while all generators have this key benefit of delivering power where and when you need it most, not all generators are built the same — or at least not all generators are built to run on the same type of fuel. The most popular types of generators are those that operate on gasoline, diesel, propane, and natural gas. The following is a look at natural gas generators, what they are and why they are often the best choice.

The Basics of a Natural Gas Powered Generator

A natural gas generator is a generator that operates on natural gas. But when you go to buy a natural gas-powered generator, whether a Cummins power unit or something else, you’ll start by first determining which of the following two types of natural gas generators is right for your needs:

Natural gas standby generator

A standby generator is a generator that is permanently installed in a given location and is connected with main utility lines. The local utility company supplies the standby generator with fuel. If and when there is a power outage, the natural gas standby generator will automatically begin supplying power until the outage is over. Because standby gas generators are connected to local utility lines, they are generally not designed to be portable. Instead, once installed, these natural gas electric generator systems stay installed. 

Prime natural gas generator

A prime natural gas generator is the type of generator that is installed without connection to mainline utility lines — although a prime natural gas generator may be hooked up to an onsite gas line in situations like industrial set-ups where a large amount of commercial natural gas can be stored onsite. Prime natural gas generators are designed both to run in emergencies and as a primary type of power when needed. As such, these generators can handle continuous loads without problems and are generally built to be easily portable. 

Who Benefits From the Use of a Natural Gas Generator

The single biggest benefit of natural gas generators is that natural gas does not go bad like gasoline does. This makes it so that whether you choose a natural gas standby generator or an independently set-up prime powered one, you stand to benefit from fast, reliable power in the event of any emergency. This advantage is what has lent to the use of natural gas generators by a great array of individuals and businesses. 

Today, hospitals, manufacturing facilities, and other large organizations that depend upon consistent electricity all are choosing natural gas generators thanks to their being easily hooked up to primary gas lines for fueling and for natural gas having an indefinite shelf life, requiring no cycling. This and other benefits of natural gas generators are likewise leading many homeowners to forgo gasoline-powered generators for natural gas ones. 

What other benefits you ask? Let’s take a look:

The Big Benefits of Natural Gas Generators

Easy hook-ups to existing utility lines. 

Gasoline and diesel-powered generators cannot be hooked up to any existing utility lines as no utility company pumps gasoline and diesel out. Likewise, storing diesel fuel onsite frequently requires local government approvals and, once approved, building a diesel storage set-up requires following complicated safety regulations. In stark contrast, natural gas standby generators can be quickly hooked up to existing utility lines and, for prime generators, natural gas can be safely and easily stored onsite without government intervention. 

Inexpensive. 

Natural gas generators will save you money across the board. Even quality units like the Cummins Power unit are going to trend less expensive them similar quality gasoline and diesel generators. Furthermore, natural gas prices have remained stable and low for many years now compared to both gasoline and diesel that often fluctuate prices and are currently trending at higher rates. 

No risks of spills. 

While natural gas is highly flammable, the recommendation of keeping open flames away from natural gas storage containers and the natural gas-powered generator are generally the only safety concerns one has to keep in mind with this piece of equipment. In contrast, gasoline and diesel both cannot be near flames, and should there be a leak or spill, proper (read expensive) cleanup and disposal must be followed. 

Clean air. 

Ugly spills that can poison groundwater and soil are just one way in which diesel and gasoline powered generators are not environmentally-friendly. These types of generators also are bad for the air quality as they emit much more toxic contaminants in the air. 

Minimal maintenance required. 

Natural gas generators are the ideal choice for those who want a backup power system that they can simply install and leave until emergency thanks to their low maintenance qualities — particularly in comparison to diesel and gasoline generators. Diesel fuel has a shelf life of 12 months maximum while gasoline can’t be stored longer than six months and will readily degrade much more swiftly in humid environments. When storing either gasoline or diesel onsite, one must regularly contend with tank and filter maintenance, use products to eliminate microbial contamination, and regularly check for water accumulation as something as simple as condensation can ruin a tank of gasoline. Even worse, gasoline with water in it can cause big issues when run through a generator, sometimes with irrevocable issues. 

Guaranteed power in the event of an emergency. 

Okay, nothing in life is guaranteed, but the availability of natural gas is significantly better than gasoline and diesel fuel in the event of an emergency. One only has to look to Florida after any bad hurricane to understand how fast gasoline and diesel fuel can become scarce following a big natural disaster. Flooding, electrical outages, and blocked roads all lead to delivery interruptions and those interruptions can last days and even weeks, leaving what gasoline and diesel is available to be portioned out at set caps per individual due to the obvious high demands of fuel for vehicles first. In contrast, a natural gas standby generator is connected via underground lines and will already have fuel ready-to-go in the event of an emergency. For prime natural gas generators, natural gas can be easily stored onsite and, due to it not being a type of fuel used in vehicles, will not face the same supply and demand issues gasoline and diesel do following a natural disaster. 

Buying the Right Size Natural Gas Generator for Your Needs

Once you have decided that a natural gas generator is the right choice for your household or business, then the next step is ensuring you get the right size. A generator too small for a given household can lead to power interruptions, while too large of a unit leads to fuel wastage and inefficiency. As such, it’s a balancing act, but buying the right size natural gas generator now will save you money in the long-run and make sure all necessary devices are powered in the event of a power interruption.

All generators are rated by wattage, specifically kilowatts (kW). For example, you’ll often find something like a Cummings power unit described as being a 12 kW generator. Because 1000 watts equals one kilowatt, a 12kW generator is thus capable of delivering 12,000 watts at one time. 

But what is 12,000 watts in real-world terms? To understand this, you will need to go through your necessary appliances one by one to find out their wattage. This is important as looks can be deceiving. A hairdryer will typically use about 1,500 watts while in operation while a high-quality LED light bulb will use only 5 watts. Big appliances like ovens can vary significantly depending upon brand and quality with some drawing just 2,000 watts and others 5,000 watts. Once you’ve determined the sum total of running watts of appliances and equipment you need powered, add to the total a 25% margin to account for power surges that occur when devices first start up as well as give you room to add in devices in the years following installation. 

If you’re still not sure about how many kilowatts you’ll need your natural gas backup generator to be rated for, hire an electrician or request professional assistance from whatever company you’re looking to buy your natural gas generator from. An electrician or similarly trained technician will be able to go through your household and calculating the running watts as well as their starting surges and make the best recommendation based on your household needs. 

Have the System Professionally Installed

Once you have determined that a natural gas generator is right for you and you have chosen the right size and model for you, contact a professional service for installation. Professional installation will make sure that your system is safely and securely put in place and connected, where applicable, with local utility lines.