In December 2021, Darren Parker – Creamer Media Senior Online Writer for Engineering News wrote an article discussing the market growth of Diesel Generators in South Africa.
“South Africa has the largest number of backup generators in Africa per capita, accounting for about 2.1 backup generators for every 100 people in 2019, with diesel fuel backup generators producing about 0.85% of the country’s total power supply in the same year.”
As the power utility, Eskom is gearing up for a roundtable with energy experts to discuss the extended load shedding; we can expect that diesel generators will continue to dominate the market.
Furthermore, the forecast by PS market Research is that the South African Diesel Generator market could push forward at a compound annual growth rate of 3.9% during 2021 – 2030. Based on the manufacturing and construction industries that are driving the market.
But the question remains, what do you need to Know Before Buying a Generator?
A generator can provide essential power without access to grid power or when the grid fails.
However, before buying a generator, one must consider several things. The foremost of what you need to know is to define the need that the generator will serve.
Your first decision needs to be whether you are looking for prime or standby power.
- Prime Generator Power is where there is no access to the grid, and the generator becomes your primary or only source of getting your required electrical output. Custom-designed and manufactured generator solutions and engines which cater for prime power applications. The requirements are often best solved by syncing two or more generators together to run them at separate times of the day, thus reducing servicing costs and extending the life of the entire solution.
- Standby Generator Power is a backup to an existing power source such as the national grid. The generator will fulfil its purpose only when your primary power source becomes unavailable. A standby solution is generally more affordable than a prime power solution as the demands on that generator are considerably less; this includes servicing and maintenance costs.
Secondly, you will need to determine if you require a single-phase or three-phase generator.
- Single-Phase Generators
Africa Power Equipment offers various single-phase generators that typically cater to households and small commercial businesses. Single-phase applications generally require anything from 1kVA up to 30kVA and are powered by petrol, gas and diesel.
- Three-Phase Generators
These generators are ideal for commercial and industrial solutions because of their high and constant power demands. Although you get three-phase requirements as low as 7kVA, a large majority of more significant generators, up to 4MVA, are three-phase, as industrial and commercial equipment generally uses 3 phase power.
Fuel Type
An essential factor in establishing is what kind of fuel would best suit your application – powered by various fuels such as diesel, petrol, solar energy, and natural gas. There are also dual or hybrid generators that can combine two different fuels. Most people prefer generators that run on diesel or petrol as they are more readily available and cost-efficient. However, LPG gas can often be an attractive option when gas lines are open on-site.
Maintenance
When choosing a generator, it is imperative to establish the maintenance costs for running that unit. Regular services are necessary when a generator is often in use, and service intervals will depend on the running hours that generator has done. The less the generator is in use; the less frequent the services will be. Remember that you do not want your generator standing for months on end without running at all. A generator that does not get any runtime for an extended period will need a service before putting that unit to work. It will be likely that the battery has run flat as well and will not start up. A general service consists of a complete oil replacement and fuel, air and oil filters.
Africa Power Equipment strives to provide its customers with quality generator and power product solutions. Our extensive and customised product lines and services are the most significant advantage. We specialise in engineering, manufacturing, distribution, installation and maintenance.
Contact Africa Power Equipment for Quality Generators for sale throughout the African Continent
