Home Generators

By Kathleen Krueger

There is no doubt that having a home generator can be handy - and even lifesaving - in certain circumstances. Though there are several types of generators to choose from, a natural gas home generator is a logical choice for many modern consumers.

Most generators use oil-based fuels such as gas or diesel, producing toxic exhaust fumes in the process. In contrast, natural gas generators burn cleaner and are considered less harmful to the environment, making them the greener choice by far.

Advantages

The main difference between natural gas and its oil-based cousins is that it's a gaseous fuel, while gas and diesel are liquid. This means a different type of engine is needed, one that has a carburetor that's designed to handle pressurized gas. Consumers can either choose a natural gas home generator from the beginning, or have a gas/diesel generator conversion kit installed on their existing generator.

With that system in place, they'll realize a couple of benefits almost instantly:

1. Natural gas can be easier to access during a natural disaster (hurricane, flood, power outage), as it's piped in underground
2. Natural gas can be stored easier and for longer durations that oil-based fuels, almost indefinitely according to some trade groups
3. Sold in a variety of different sizes, from small portable canisters to larger, commercial tanks

Disadvantages

Though the benefits are many, natural gas generators also have a couple distinct disadvantages, especially when it comes to achieving ROI. In particular:

1. Natural gas generators may result in an up-front cost that could be up to 20% higher than their oil-based counterparts, by some estimates.
2. In addition, the cost of natural gas tends to fluctuate more often than oil-based products, and often seasonally, with recent prices jumping between $9.15 and $16.31 in the span of 6 months.

Global benefits

As more people become conscience of how their energy use impacts the global environment, the move to natural gas is inevitable. Natural gas can reduce the amount of greenhouse emissions released into the atmosphere. Also, natural gas generators can run off biologically obtained gas, such as methane, that can be created from waste in landfills and other sources.

With oil-based fuels constantly going up in price as the world makes the change to more sustainable fuel choices, it makes sense that more people would choose to move away from products that use those kinds of fuels. Natural gas is a great alternative and provides the same end-result as its fossil fuel counterpart.

When the next big disaster hits and fuel stations are down, owners of natural gas generators may be the last people with their lights still on. Just as hybrid and electric cars are becoming more prevalent, this new generation of home generators is likely to become the choice for conscious consumers.