Maximizing Efficiency: A Guide to Properly Using Your Stage V Generator

June 19, 2023

Are Stage V generators really as environmentally friendly as they claim to be? In this blog post, we delve into the challenges surrounding Stage V generators and present you with an alternative solution that is both more efficient and cleaner.

Diesel generators are widely used to provide temporary power in a variety of applications, from construction sites to events and festivals. In 2016, the EU introduced Stage V emission standards for new diesel engines, including those used in generators, to reduce the emissions of harmful pollutants and improve air quality.

However, the latest generation of diesel generators, which comply with these standards, may not be as clean as we thought. In this blog, we explore the reason why Stage V generators are less environmentally friendly than expected and discuss an alternative that is be more efficient and sustainable.

Why Stage V Generators are said to be less polluting

The use of AdBlue, a mixture of distilled water and urea (a synthetic product based on ammonia), in Stage V generators make them less polluting. AdBlue is sprayed into the hot exhaust gases, and through a chemical reaction it converts NOx into harmless nitrogen and water vapour.

The problem with the Stage V Generator

However, to ensure the AdBlue treatment is effective, the engine must be maintained at a minimum temperature of around 200°C to 250°C and remain under a load of at least 75%. Failure to do so can result in unburned or incompletely burned fuel, which could clog the after-treatment system and cause the generator to malfunction.

Loadbank

To overcome this issue, a loadbank is often used to ensure the generator operates at a high enough load to reach and maintain the required temperature. A load bank is a passive device that generates a resistive load to simulate electrical demand.

The load bank extracts any unused energy from the generator and converts it into heat that is then dissipated into the atmosphere. Unfortunately, this means that the generated electricity is wasted, making the system inefficient and unsustainable.

How to achieve a smarter and cleaner solution

For those seeking a more efficient and eco-friendly approach, we recommend combining your Stage V generator with a battery, instead of a loadbank. Here’s why:

The benefit of this configuration lies in the ability of the battery to store energy. Instead of dissipating the energy generated by the generator as heat into the atmosphere, the battery retains all of it.

Advantages of battery energy storage

Efficient energy storage (and retrieving) by batteries on site has multiple benefits:

Emissions reduction

The battery supplies power when the energy demand is lower than the 75% power required for a Stage V generator or stores the power for later use. As a result, the generator needs to run less frequently or can even be turned off. This reduces overall fuel consumption, emissions, and noise pollution.
Smart energy management

If the power consumption is high, the battery provides the necessary power and helps smooth out peaks (peak shaving). This means the generator has to run less, resulting in savings in diesel consumption and CO2 emissions. The Energy Management System (EMS) of the battery ensures that the generator only runs within a safe range of load. Therefore, the wear of the generator is kept to a minimum and its lifetime is extended. It also relieves the strain on the electrical grid. Additionally, a battery can charge during off-peak hours, leading to lower costs.
Integration with renewable energy sources

Batteries can store the energy generated by solar or wind sources, such as the ones on your construction site’s mobile office. Typically, this energy is unstable and only produced when there is wind or sunshine. However, with batteries, you can still rely on renewable energy sources. Moreover, this makes your energy supply much more sustainable, even in combination with a stage V generator. You become less dependent on the generator and emit less CO2 and other exhaust gases. At the same time, the generator functions as a back-up for low supply from the renewable energy sources and only run on an optimal load.

Increased efficiency with software-driven batteries

Another great advantage of batteries is when they’re powered by smart software, you get the most energy-efficient setup. Batteries controlled by software can use advanced algorithms to optimize energy usage in real-time. This results in better balancing of power sources like Stage V generators and renewable energy, as well as peak shaving and improved overall system efficiency. In the case of the generator this means that it runs at the optimum load or is switched off when energy demand is low.

Moreover, software monitoring allows for keeping a close eye on the battery’s performance and health, ensuring early issue detection and predictive maintenance. This guarantees optimal operation over time.

Additionally, software-driven batteries offer great flexibility to adapt to changing energy demands or system configurations. With simple software updates and reprogramming, you can adjust or improve the battery’s functionality without any physical modifications.

Conclusion

Stage V generators may appear environmentally friendly compared to their predecessors, but when paired with load banks, this combination becomes inefficient and unsustainable. However, by replacing the load bank with a battery, you can achieve a cleaner and more efficient solution that effectively stores energy, while extending the lifetime of the generator.

Contact us

If you are interested in a more sustainable solution to power your project, we invite you to explore our batteries, which are driven by our highly competent in-house developed software that require your needs.

To learn more about our innovative technology and its potential applications, please do not hesitate to contact our Technical Sales Engineer Thomas Nagel via phone or email, or simply fill out our contact form. We will get back to you soon.

Maximizing Efficiency: A Guide to Properly Using Your Stage V Generator