Aggreko has been improving its technology and services so those working on major infrastructure projects are able to begin the transition to a greener future today.
Some of these solutions are practical ways to increase energy efficiency and performance, while others represent more permanent ways of lowering impact on the environment. These can include potential fuel, CO2 and local emissions savings across your site by making certain switches.
Quite often generators are oversized on a construction site to cope with motor starts, pump starts, and in general start-up currents; when the actual load or start-up is not known; or because a safety net or error tolerance has been added to cope for any unknowns. As a result, hired equipment is quite often running at less than 30% load which means it is being inefficient.
However if we design solutions where the equipment is running at 80% load or above regularly then we can offer significant savings in fuel, carbon and local emissions. Aggreko uses flywheel technology to help cope with start-up currents, load on demand to deal with variable loads, and the right battery hybrid technology that can cope with startup currents and minimise the runtime of the generator. In larger packages batteries can also be utilised in spinning reserve to minimise run hours and offer fuel, carbon and local emissions savings. Aggreko’s entire fleet incorporates smart metering enabling consultation on sizing requirements. Utilising telemetry capability can refine capacity to give optimum performance.
Load on demand power solutions replace a large, constantly operating generator with a group of smaller generators that can power up or down automatically according to demand onsite. For instance, if a site requires a total peak output of 1500 kVA, it is possible to use three smaller 500 kVA generators together to achieve this output when the site is operating at full capacity. When the demand for power fluctuates and this reduces to lower than 500 kVA, two of the generators can power down when not required.
By having two generators powering down, construction sites employing load on demand power systems can save money on the fuel that is no longer wasted through a large generator constantly operating at full capacity. On top of this, reducing the number of generators in operation during periods of downtime means harmful emissions are reduced as well as noise pollution.
Aggreko’s range of hybrid packages are ideal for keeping the power on at construction sites after hours. These models have a battery system paired with a generator, meaning fuel is only used when it’s needed most. During non-peak hours or at night, the generator turns off and the battery system provides 12 hours of power at 4 KW, ideal for welfare structures, lights and security systems. They are also fully automated and require minimal maintenance and can provide up to 75% in fuel savings as well lower emissions.
As well as a battery system, we also offer photovoltaic (PV) panels that feature a single-axis tracking system to maximise energy production, while enabling a more stable and predictable yield curve. The PV panels can be mounted on frames and connected to cabin loads in the same connection in order to provide power to the cabins. They closely track the sun as it moves across the sky and this increases the amount of energy delivered by 10 to 20 percent without exceeding the maximum PV power penetration, saving more fuel without compromising system stability. Aggreko solar power is part of a hybrid system offering and integrates seamlessly with thermal and battery storage solutions.
By investing in fleet and sales engineering capability, Aggreko is helping to meet the needs of construction companies that require greener, more efficient technologies when working on various types of construction projects.