Businesses are using propane generators as a reliable, cost-effective solution to off-grid power generation.

Off-grid businesses are becoming more common, as the electric grid system in the U.S. cannot keep up with the demand for energy. Power outages are becoming more frequent and are lasting longer, according to the U.S. Department of Energy; with power stations facing threats from wind, snow, ice, fire and brownouts (an over-stressed power grid). According to Eaton’s 2014 Blackout Tracker Annual Report, the United States suffered 3,634 power outages in 2014, affecting more than 14 million people. That’s 12 percent higher than 2013, and 285 percent more often than in 1984. The average business will experience 3.5 power outages in a two-year period, and even short power outages lasting less than four hours can cost an average of $1,250 (Power Outage Impact Research, B2B International – 2015). That’s nearly $4,500 in spoiled food, lost wages from business and the stress and financial demands it can put on you. Propane powered off-grid generators can help resist the damage done by power outages.

Benefits of an Off-Grid Propane Generator:

• Permanently installed and supplied by an above- or below-ground tank, it starts automatically when the power goes down.
• Fuel that does not degrade over time, unlike diesel or gasoline, making it an ideal standby power fuel.
• Runs quiet, producing as little as 60 decibels of noise, comparable to a normal conversation.
• A variety of sizes to fit the needs of the business.
• Significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions than diesel or gasoline.
• Non-toxic, non-poisonous fuel that won’t contaminate soil or water, unlike diesel and gasoline
• Can handle an entire buildings energy needs for days, unlike solar- or wind-powered systems.
• Remote monitoring systems for fuel levels that businesses, or service technicians can check from their phones or devices.

Recent improvements in generator load-monitoring technology have made it possible to keep power flowing throughout your whole building, even as demand surges and shifts. This feature make it easier for commercial buildings to achieve more comprehensive protection without having to go through the fuel storage, maintenance, reliability, and emissions challenges of diesel-fueled generators.

Businesses can combine a propane generator with a suite of propane appliances to provide whole-building standby protection at an affordable price. When critical systems such as space heating and water heating are fueled by propane, the standby generator can typically be downsized — and made more affordable — because it isn’t running power-hungry electrical heating appliances. Businesses can save as much as $2,000 on the generator when they don’t require one that’s large enough to accommodate the power needs of all the appliances. As installers do the energy-consumption audit needed to properly size a generator and pipe the house or building for propane, businesses can take the opportunity to convert other major systems to propane or natural gas to maximize energy efficiency and cost savings. Because you’ll be running a gas line to get the propane to the generator, it’s an ideal time to upgrade heating, water heating, and cooking appliances, which is made easier with the rebates from Pacific Propane Gas Association.

With a $500 rebate from Pacific Propane Gas Association, you can save thousands of dollars, a mountain of stress and use a green fuel. Go to PPGARebates.com to find out more.