@misc{50449a22e86047f7a622c13b5fefae0f,
title = "A Comparison of Fuel Choice for Backup Generators",
abstract = "This poster discusses the costs and benefits of backup generator configurations. We analyze the relative costs and benefits - in terms of economics and reliability - of natural gas versus diesel as fuels for backup systems. We find that, given our assumptions of fuel security for diesel and natural gas, natural gas generators are less likely than diesel generators to fail during a power outage. The differences in likelihoods of failure between natural gas and diesel generators are small for most regions and dependent on several assumptions. This indicates that differences in fuel source security are of second-order concern. We also find that grid-connected generators run for backup as well as additional services have higher reliability due to more frequent operation, and lower net costs than generators used solely for backup. At the same time, emergency-only systems may still be preferred, depending on permitting, noise, and air quality concerns.",
keywords = "backup generator, cost data, diesel, generator reliability, natural gas, outage data, tariff data",
author = "Sean Ericson and Daniel Olis",
year = "2019",
language = "American English",
series = "Presented at the 2019 JISEA Annual Meeting, 13-14 March 2019, Golden, Colorado",
type = "Other",
}