Electric Power is indispensable today. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), however, there are about 1.4 billion people who did not have immediate access to electricity as of 2009. About 83% of these people are living in the rural locations which are basically ‘off grid’. Some rural areas worldwide, nevertheless, have access to electricity thanks to energy supply schemes. But because these are subsidized by the government, levels of consumption are usually controlled. For instance, the power distributors, if not the local government, dictate the number of hours and the period when electricity can be used by a household. Residents are left with no choice but to oblige, maximizing the use of their electricity when is available.
One solution is to use a generator which is a device used to convert mechanical to electrical energy. There are different types of generators like electric and hydrogen. Electric generators had been categorically more expensive than hydrogen generators. While you cannot use electric generators for reasons so obvious, you have to have a little knowledge in making fuel cells. If you have that knowledge, then you also know that there is serious risk of producing explosive mixtures, obviously not advisable in densely populated settlements of rural areas.
Another alternative is diesel generators. Why diesel generators? Why not propane or gasoline generators? There are several benefits of using a diesel generator. The benefits are:
1) Diesel generators generally require low maintenance:
There will be no need for replacing spark plugs and re-building carburetors, saving much of the cost and devoting to buying oil reserve. The only catch is that you just have to regularly change oil to keep the generator up and running which would be relatively easy.
2) Diesel generators outlast propane or gas generators:
Observed that diesel generators perform best compared to generators fueled by gas or propane when given the similar quantity of work. For one, gas generators tend to burn more fuel than propane and diesel generators. Of the three diesel is least expensive compared to the prices of propane fuel and gas.
3) Diesel generators last longer than gas generators:
Diesel generators can be used for more than 3 years. Unlike gas
generators that can only last for months. Diesel generators do not require major repairs as well as they are built to endure pressures. Thereby, these generators are built for constant use, providing power to a household continually.
4) Diesel fuels can be stored easily:
Diesel fuels are also flammable but at lower risks compared to that of gas fuels which are explosive in nature.
While there are benefits, there are also some drawbacks of using diesel generators. The drawbacks include:
1) Diesel generators tend to be too noisy:
Diesel generators create grating sounds. There might be a need to install soundproof enclosures if you are going to use diesel generators. You may also place the generator at least 5 meters away from the house to minimize the noise.
2) Diesel generator installation is costly:
Installing diesel generator is rather costly compared to installing gas generator. However, the costs of gas generators escalate while using it due to high gas prices. So, it is still better to spend for the initial cost of installing a diesel generator and then reap the benefits afterwards.
This brings us to the conclusion that a diesel generator may actually solve electricity problems even in the most remote locations. You have to weigh your options however in terms of your usage. If your need for power is intermittent, then you can use a gas generator, but if you are in need for uninterrupted power, then go for diesel generators. Evidently, the pros of using diesel generator far outweigh the cons so diesel generators are more economical than any other type of generators out there.