GENERATOR PRICING GUIDE
There are two types of generators:
1) Portable, used by tradesmen on job sites or handymen at home
2) Standby such as used on commercial buildings and for residential homes.
Portable generators can cost $100 - $5000 from a hardware store or generator dealer. A Home standby generator can cost $6000 - $18000, for good reason. Portable generators usually use petrol or diesel fuel and require fuel tanks to be filled periodically. An electrical contractor or electrician can help you determine the right generator to meet your electrical demands without spending too much.
Portable generators
These are not designed for Home standby applications and should not be used to power your home, they are not as durable, typically use petrol, need ventilation and won't have the dependability and power (kW) that a specifically designed generator for home backup use.
Standby generators
Generators designed for Home standby use can provide all or part of your Home power needs, depending on your selection. The prices listed below are a guide only and can vary due to installation cost and AUD$ fluctuations. Cost’s will be affected by power rating (kilowatt size) of generator the ATS, installation cost and connecting to your home or business.
• 8kW (10kVA) – 10kW (12kVA): $6,000 - $12,000
• 12kW (15kVA) – 17kW (18kVA): $9,000 - $18,000 (the most common size for “whole house” generators)
A home standby generator is an investment in your property or business, as with your vehicle, air condition unit or other equipment a generator needs to be maintained. When maintained correctly generators are dependable can last a long time and add value to your property.
Natural Gas - What is it?
Natural Gas is formed over millions of years by the remains of plants and animals. The fossilized forms of these remains are changed over time by pressure and heat the gaseous form of these fossils is Natural Gas When Natural Gas is used to produce electricity, it emits only Half of the greenhouse gases of other fossil fuel s such as Oil and Coal. Leaving our environment cleaner for future generations. Using Natural Gas powered generators for electricity produce lower emissions of nitrogen, sulfur, and greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide. People currently using natural gas in there homes or businesses, know how much cheaper the gas bill is compared to the electricity bill. Natural gas, is colorless, shapeless, and odorless in its pure form. Quite uninteresting - except that natural gas is combustible, and when burned it gives off a great deal of energy. Unlike other fossil fuels, however, natural gas is clean burning and emits lower levels of potentially harmful byproducts into the air. We require energy constantly, to heat our homes, cook our food, and generate our electricity. Natural gas is a combustible mixture of hydrocarbon gases. While natural gas is formed primarily of methane, it can also include ethane, propane, butane and pentane. The composition of natural gas can vary widely, but below is a chart outlining the typical makeup of natural gas before it is refined. Read more: http://www.naturalgas.org/overview/background.asp
| Typical Composition of Natural Gas | ||
| Methane | CH4 | 70-90% |
| Ethane | C2H6 | 0-20% |
| Propane | C3H8 | 0-20% |
| Butane | C4H10 | 0-20% |
| Carbon Dioxide | CO2 | 0-8% |
| Oxygen | O2 | 0-0.2% |
| Nitrogen | N2 | 0-5% |
| Hydrogen Sulphide | H2S | 0-5% |
| Rare Gases | A, He, Ne, Xe | trace |
Liquefied Petroleum Gas - What is it?
Also called LPG, GPL, LP Gas, is a mixture of hydrocarbon gases used as a fuel in heating appliances and vehicles, and increasingly replacing chlorofluorocarbons as an aerosol propellant and a refrigerant to reduce damage to the ozone layer. LPG is a low carbon emitting hydrocarbon fuel, emitting 19 percent less CO2 per kWh than oil, 30 percent less than coal and more than 50 percent less than coal-generated electricity distributed via the grid. Being a mix of propane and butane, LPG emits more carbon per joule than propane and LPG emits less carbon per joule than butane. Varieties of LPG bought and sold include mixes that are primarily propane, mixes that are primarily butane, and the more common, mixes including both propane (60%) and butane (40%), depending on the season—in winter more propane, in summer more butane. Propylene and butylenes are usually also present in small concentration.
LPG is synthesised by refining petroleum or 'wet' natural gas, and is usually derived from fossil fuel sources, being manufactured during the refining of crude oil, or extracted from oil or gas streams as they emerge from the ground. LPG has a typical specific calorific value of 46.1 MJ/kg compared to 42.5 MJ/kg for diesel and 43.5 MJ/kg for premium grade petrol (gasoline). At normal temperatures and pressures, LPG will evaporate. Because of this, LPG is supplied in pressurised steel bottles. In order to allow for thermal expansion of the contained liquid, these bottles are not filled completely; typically, they are filled to between 80% and 85% of their capacity. Large amounts of LPG can be stored in bulk tanks and can be buried underground if required. Alternatively, gas cylinders can be used.
NATURAL GAS GENERATORS
A Generator fueled by Natural Gas can provide your home or business with electricity when you need it the most not if but “when” the utility power fails for any reason such as power station outage, equipment failure, substation failures, storms, or strong winds damaging power lines. Having a natural gas generator for your home or business, you will have peace of mind your family or business will have the critical electricity you need when you need it. You can keep your lights, fridge, phone, computer air conditioner or heater running and not have to worry about major disruption to your family’s life or your business. The size of the generator you select will determine how many circuits or appliances can be kept running.
Efficiency: A Generator fueled by Natural Gas could cost 35% to 45% less per hour to run than a petrol generator. For your Home or Business, Generators are available in various sizes to coupe with your electrical load. Generators traditionally are powered by diesel fuel or petrol and require fuel tanks to be stored either above or below ground. Natural gas powered generators do not require fuel tanks unless you choose a LP fueled generator which may require a LP tank such as those used for barbeques. Natural gas supply to the generator is from the gas line already on your property. Generators supplied by GGPT are not the average “portable” type generators they are designed for home or business standby backup power. They can operate automatically; switch on and off when needed.
Features:
• No Worries with Automatic start: Generators turn on when utility power fails and turn off when it utility power returns. The standby generator can start itself and provides electricity in aprox 30 seconds. It can also sense if the utility power comes back on and shuts down.
• Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS): for utility sensing and automatic on and off transition switching.
• Weatherproof enclosure: The generator is housed in a weatherproof enclosure and has its own base with no concrete pad necessary.
• A Generator adds value to you home or you may wish to take it with you if you move to another property.
• Exercise timer: (Recommended) Generators have the option with timers, which run the unit for e.g. 10 minutes each fortnight or monthly. This will help to keep the starting battery charged.
• Maintenance: Generators use engines and just like a car engine needs to be maintained. Generators require maintenance and checking such as battery, oil, oil filter and air filter.
• Gas is an efficient, low emission, clean, readily available cheap fuel.