Ever wondered about the difference between traditional diesel power and the supposed benefits of battery storage? One of our customers did as well…

One of our key customers ran an independent study to identify the difference between traditional diesel power and hybrid power. The customer manages multiple sites across the UK that require temporary power until the site can be connected to the local network.

The customer is a house builder.

Customer Goals

Customers that opt for battery storage on their sites are likely trying to solve the below issues:

• High fuel consumption, costs and carbon emissions associated with the use of generators
• Fuel inefficiency with alternating loads
• Regular or high maintenance requirements
• Noise pollution to local area

Does it really do what it says on the tin?

When looking at the study, our customer discovered that their site running on a hybrid system did actually perform better than a traditional generator set up!

Site 1:

1x Atlas Copco QAS 60Kva Generator

Site 2:

1x Atlas Copco QAS 60Kva Generator

1x Atlas Copco 47 – 75 Battery Energy Storage System

What are the technical benefits of using the hybrid system?

Using a hybrid system creates many benefits for the sites they’re used on:

• Cost Savings: Reduced fuel consumption and generator runtime lead to lower operational and maintenance costs.
• Environmental Benefits: Lower carbon emissions and noise pollution, supporting sustainability and net zero goals.
• Operational Efficiency: Instant power availability and smooth load management, reducing generator strain.
• Energy Independence: Enables integration with renewable sources like solar and wind, reducing reliance on fuel supply chains.
• Fuel Efficiency: Battery storage significantly improves fuel efficiency by:
• Reducing generator runtime, meaning the generator only runs when necessary to charge the battery.
• Optimizing load management, allowing batteries to handle lower power demands more efficiently.
• Utilizing stored energy, reducing overall fuel dependency.
• Supporting renewable integration, further cutting fuel usage when paired with solar.

The Results

The customer observed that within the 16 week study period, the generator for site 1 ran a total of 800 hours. This means that the generator consumed 11,200 litres of diesel whereas the hybrid site only consumed 2,240 litres of diesel with the generator running a mere 160 hours to power the site and recharge the battery via passthrough.

The study also highlighted that site 1 produced 30.84 tCO2e which is incredibly high when compared to site 2.

Site 2 produced 6.17 tCO2e.

Reductions, Reductions Reductions…

The hybrid site reduced generator run time, fuel consumption and carbon emissions by a staggering 80%! This study is proof that the inclusion of a battery storage system on site is crucial to minimising crucial pain points of traditional generator hire. What about the costs you may ask?  Site 2 has higher rental and install costs due to the hire of additional equipment however, it considerably reduced fuel costs in contrast to site 1. The hybrid site actually saved £3,552 compared to site 1.

Due to the reduced runtime of the generator, noise will also have reduced dramatically as the battery unit used is completely silent when in operation, and performed the majority of the work. Although the generator was needed at times to recharge the battery, the generator used on site was a super silent 60Kva generator which produces 91dBA at 1m or 63dBa AT 7m.

Conclusion

The adoption of hybrid power significantly improved efficiency, reduced operating costs, and lowered environmental impact. Hybrid power systems are definitely worth considering for future products and can be taken a step further with additional hybrid support. Hybrid sites can also include solar arrays, wind turbines and the use of greener fuels like HVO.

See for it yourself!

If you’re considering including a hybrid power solution in your next project, give our team a call. Our sales engineers can assist with figuring out your requirements, conduct site surveys, organise telemetry and fuel management and anything else you might require.

You can contact our team here.