When severe weather events or other emergencies interrupt public utility services, companies typically use diesel generators to provide backup power.
But there are downsides. Diesel generators depend on non-renewable fossil fuels, they can’t handle long-term outages, and they are prone to maintenance issues. Today, as organizations push toward decarbonization and ESG goals, relying on gas-powered generators is no longer a viable solution, much less a sustainable one.
Moreover, public concern over fossil fuels is also putting a damper on the practice. Increased EPA enforcement of Tier 4 diesel emissions regulations means some states are effectively banning diesel backup generators.
What can replace diesel generators? Let’s take a look at the alternatives.
While many companies still use diesel as their first line of defense against power interruptions, the practice is falling out of favor as the industry standard.
That’s because many organizations — especially manufacturers with robotics and other connected technologies on the factory floor — require an uninterrupted flow of clean, conditioned power.
These businesses cannot afford to lose power for the few seconds it takes to start a diesel generator.
Even a short dip or surge is highly disruptive. And with some public utilities strapped during severe weather events — for example, the 2022 blackouts during Winter Storm Elliott in the eastern U.S. — longer-term power outages are a growing problem as the grid ages and bears a heavier load.
To achieve this ‘no-blip’ service with zero downtime when there’s an outage or surge, you need to future-proof your business with instant power transfer and reliability.
Solving this problem requires companies to change their goal from providing backup power to embracing new energy sources that allow greater control and round-the-clock resiliency.
The practice of harnessing natural forces such as sunlight, wind, water, and underground thermal energy has gained traction in recent years. Renewable energy is climate-friendly and makes sense.
In a business context, though, incorporating wind or solar power — especially as a sole backup or power provider — is challenging. Wind and sunlight are not always reliable energy sources as their availability depends on factors beyond our control.
Renewable energy can also be more costly than purchasing from a public utility, and it’s not accessible to everyone in every area. (Texas summers might be great for collecting solar power, but Alaskan winters are not.)
Companies that choose to generate power with onsite renewable energy sources should also invest in battery storage systems to ensure power is available even when renewable sources are not.
Another challenge comes when a business wants to connect its renewable energy source to the wider grid and must submit an interconnection request, only to wait months for approval.
Battery energy storage systems (BESS) capture and store energy, often from renewable sources that can be used during outages or periods of high demand.
Modern batteries, coupled with management and monitoring systems, provide a dependable backup power source — but onsite systems consume a lot of real estate, making them impractical at scale for some companies.
Battery storage systems can reduce environmental impact compared to diesel, at least in the short term. However, lithium-ion phosphate batteries contain toxic metals, posing safety concerns if they aren’t disposed of properly.
The U.S. faces a tremendous infrastructure gap to achieve the expected 500 GW demand response needed by 2030. Many energy experts are exploring distributed energy sources to meet these expectations and reduce stress on the aging power grid.
A virtual power plant, for example, is a smaller-scale power source relative to the public utility. A VPP may draw from a microgrid of connected distributed energy resources (DER) such as solar panels, geothermal systems, and wind turbines, and include a BESS for energy storage and management.
Historically, creating and operating a VPP involves technical and logistical challenges, making it a costly and complicated option for businesses.
Virtual Utility®, on the other hand, paves the way for more businesses to access the benefits of a VPP without losing the reliability of a utility company.
The heart of this full-package solution is the R3Di® System, a power generation and energy storage system that can operate either alongside the power grid or independently. It includes a natural gas-powered onsite prime power source connected to a lithium iron phosphate battery that’s safer and more environmentally friendly than lithium phosphate batteries.
The R3Di® System represents the ultimate in future-proofing as it can withstand long-duration outages. The R3Di® can also serve as the prime source of power, connect to renewables, and offer fast EV charging, a bonus for supermarkets and other retailers.
With the 24/7/365 monitoring and market insights provided by the GROVE (Grid Response Optimization of Virtual Energy) – the ‘eyes’ of Virtual Utility® – customers can decide where to get their power and when, resulting in cost savings and energy autonomy.
Ready to do a deeper dive on how the R3Di® System can help you shift from backup power to energy autonomy? Read our whitepaper, Rethinking Power Generation With the R3Di® System: Increased Resiliency, Sustainability, and Cost Optimization.