Combined Cycle

How Natural Gas is Driving the North American Gaseous Genset Market

Natural gas generators are quickly becoming a focus of corporate strategy for many generator manufacturing companies. The market for natural gas is growing and will continue to grow.

By Mark Schreiner, Power Solution Manager, Generac Power Systems, Inc.

Natural gas generators are quickly becoming a focus of corporate strategy for many generator manufacturing companies. The market for natural gas is growing and will continue to grow. There are three driving factors behind this burgeoning industry switch diesel powered engines to natural gas. First and foremost, end users are looking to eliminate emissions independent of regulatory mandates, simply to prove they’re good stewards to their local environment. Secondly, according to recent reports and studies, natural gas has the ability to provide long-term price and supply stability. The American Gas Association anticipates a period of relative natural gas price stability and robust supply as demand increases to meet environmental requirements. Lastly, natural gas engine technologies have and will continue to advance, making this fuel source a more reliable solution than other options on the market.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets guidelines for manufacturers in the commercial and industrial sector to comply with. As it stands now, traditionally-used fuels meet these standards, but natural gas provides companies who are specifying new gensets with a cleaner burning, lower emissions option, which is often well-suited for the community where they’re doing business.

According to the International Gas Union, natural gas is one of the cleanest fossil fuels when it burns, meaning it can greatly reduce a business’ carbon footprint. Compared to oil and coal, the emissions of sulfur, nitrogen and carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) are considerably lower. When burned, natural gas releases 50 percent less CO2 than coal and 20 to 30 percent less than oil. This reduction in sulfur, nitrogen and especially carbon dioxide are what make natural gas a viable, cleaner fuel option above others.

This 50 percent reduction in CO2 emissions decreases manufacturing “smokestacks,” meaning less air and water pollution. This is an immediate benefit for manufacturing plants and companies who are supported by a surrounding community who value a clean local environment.

Another reason behind the push towards natural gas lies in its stability. The United States has battled with a stable gas source for years, leading to costly price fluctuations that can hurt the bottom line for many companies. Natural gas is an abundant fuel source that can be found in the backyard of many American companies. The infrastructure has also improved tenfold. The natural gas pipeline structure is now advanced to deliver 99.9999% reliability and now reaches nearly every part of the U.S in the lower 48 states.

The three-part infrastructure allows natural gas to meet peak demand needs unlike other renewable resources. Natural gas is delivered by underground pipelines connected to the utility main supplies that connect to the end-user. Across the country, there are more than 2.4 million miles of natural gas distribution pipeline infrastructure that supplies 177 million Americans and about five million commercial enterprises with natural gas. For a simpler visual, these underground pipelines can be compared to the U.S. highway system. This vast underground interconnectedness creates a stable supply of natural gas for end users.

This stability and reliability also translates during times of power outages. If a pipelines fails, natural gas can be rerouted to continue to meet the end user. For facilities that deal with regular threats of power outages, this can be a game changer and a driving factor to switch to natural gas for power generation.

Together, the gas utilities and pipeline companies in America are investing billions of dollars annually to ensure that natural gas continues to be delivered in a safe and reliable manner. In conjunction with pipeline infrastructure improvements, natural gas engine technology has also improved. Today, natural gas-powered engines combine high efficiency, low emissions, advanced combustion, improved air systems, dedicated engine system controls, and reduced cost of ownership. This makes backup power generation as reliable as anything else on the market. These gensets are now equipped with features that allow for great power outputs that will result in longer run times.

These durable, more dependable gensets will only continue to improve as the nation’s drive for natural gas becomes greater.

New technology, abundant and reliable sourcing methods and a cleaner fuel option all add to the logical reasoning behind a surging shift to natural gas usage in North America. More companies today understand natural gas is a smart solution to powering equipment and operations. Continued technological progress is more than an expectation, it’s a certainty.

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