This post is our final one in the Cleaner Diesel series. Over the last couple of months, we’ve looked at the impacts of diesel fuel contamination across a variety of industries – starting with agriculture and aviation and working our way through mining, ports and marine, trucking and rail. To end the series, we’re focussing on the most vital function of diesel fuel – its role as the fuel of choice for power generation in an emergency situation.

Any number of events can affect power generation, and in Australia, the greatest risks are severe storms, cyclones, bush fires and floods. In the middle of an extreme weather event, it’s too late to think of a back-up plan – it must be in place already.

While it’s easy to see how a complete power failure is a major disruption for businesses, think of the widespread health implications if critical services weren’t supported by emergency power. It’s mandatory for facilities such as hospitals, data centres, water and sewage treatment plants, as well as communication, transportation and banking systems to have emergency back-up power immediately available and capable of generating full strength power for prolonged periods in order to protect public health and safety.

The robust, high-torque, load carrying capacity of diesel engines, together with the availability of diesel fuel makes them the ideal back-up generators. Benefits of diesel generators include:

Reliable – diesel engines are relatively simple and have been used for hundreds of years.

Portable – generators are available in a wide variety of sizes from the highly transportable 6.6kVA generators up to fixed generators installed at hospitals, capable of generating 14,000 kVA of power.

Available – a basic generator is within the financial reach of most families with diesel fuel supply readily available

Durable – diesel engines are known for their durable, robust qualities and diesel power generators are no different.

The first step in establishing an emergency power generation plan is to get a diesel generator, but that’s just the start. The following quick list will help to ensure you’re totally prepared in the event of a power failure:

• Understand your power load – how much power will the generator need to produce? Are you powering only essential services or running your entire household/business/service?
• Safely store your fuel – have your fuel source safety stored and ready to go. Check with your fuel supplier regarding how long you can keep diesel fuel stored. Even cleaner diesel is subject to contamination issues.
• Maintain your generator – a maintenance plan should include periodic testing to make sure your emergency generator is in good working order.

At Bulk Fuel Australia, we provide diesel fuel for power generation using our Final Filtered Diesel^®. Using filtered diesel minimises the contaminants (water, algae, bacteria and other micro-organisms and particles) and can improve the reliability and performance of your cleaner diesel fuel power generator.

We’re aware of the issues around diesel fuel cleanliness, which is why we’re currently in the process of installing high quality single pass Final Filters across our entire fleet of fuel delivery trucks and bulk fuel site storage tanks. By filtering diesel before it enters high quality fuel storage tanks – regardless of tank size – you’re providing the optimum environment that protects fuel quality.

We hope you’ve enjoyed the Cleaner Diesel series. Don’t forget, if you’ve missed any, you’ll find them here.  For more details regarding Final Filtered Diesel^®, diesel fuel for power generation or bulk fuel storage solutions, contact us today: 1300 57 9990.