Biodiesel Generators

Most businesses don't think much about electricity, but when the power goes out, the right type of generator can help keep your business up and running. Power generators come in a wide range of sizes and setups for every situation. For example, food service businesses can rely on generators to keep thousands of dollars worth of meat and produce refrigerated while hospitals typically employ top-notch electric power backup systems to maintain critical services and equipment. Of course, places that don't have electric service at all, such as construction and camping sites, may need generators as well. Understanding the basic types of generators can help you choose the right size generator for your business.

Diesel generators: Diesel is a popular choice of fuel for larger, commercial generators. Diesel generators tend to be dependable and somewhat less expensive to operate than generators that run on natural gas or propane.

Before choosing a generator, particularly standby generators, you'll need to decide what equipment you want it to run. The "right" size electric generator provides just enough wattage to operate all your essential equipment. Common devices include refrigerators, freezers, security and access control systems, sump pumps, essential lights, electric gates or overhead doors, ejector pumps, well pumps, and septic systems. Keep in mind that every electronic device you add to the list will increase the wattage you need. While a single light bulb will only add 70 watts, a mid-sized central air conditioner can draw 4000 watts or more.

Limit your choices to those devices that are truly essential during a power outage and you'll keep your total costs down. Too few watts and you can overwork the electric generator, potentially damaging it and anything plugged into it. Too many watts and you'll waste money on the initial generator purchase and on fuel. Accurately determining the watts your equipment requires will help you get a generator that can meet your electrical demands without spending too much. You can spend $400 on a hobbyist generator at a chain hardware store or $40,000 on a massive standby generator. As a very loose rule of thumb, standby generators cost $300 to $500 per kW, installed.