If you run a business where power is essential to your operations, and you live in an area where the power grid goes out from time to time, you may want to invest in a standby generator for your business. A standby generator is designed to power on when the electrical grid is down and take care of your business's electrical needs.

Consideration #1: Fuel Type

The first thing you need to determine if what type of fuel you want to use in your commercial generator. The three most popular choices are diesel, propane, and natural gas.

Although you may be able to easily fill up a container with diesel, diesel is the least viable option because gas degrades over time, so you can't just have a big tank of gas sitting on your business property, waiting to be used indefinitely, because the gas quality will degrade over time.

Propane is a good option because you can easily set-up a large propane tank on your business property and use that propane tank to power your generator. As propane doesn't degrade over time, you can easily keep a full tank of propane on-hand for when you need it.

Another great choice is natural gas. Natural gas works well if you already have a natural gas line on your property. If you have a natural gas line on your property, you can connect the standby generator to the natural gas line just like you would any other gas-powered appliance. Natural gas is not connected to the power grid, so you will have an endless energy supply for your generator should the power go down.

Consideration #2: Energy Needs

Second, you need to understand what your energy needs will be for your business should the power go out. How much power do you consume on average? How much power would you need if you were only running essential equipment?

You want to make sure the standby generator you purchase for your business is able to handle the level of energy that your business needs to keep things safe and to continue operating if necessary, during a power outage in your area.

Be sure to account for seasonal changes in energy usage, and make sure the generator will be able to support the energy demands at the high and low end.

Consideration #3: Building Permits

Finally, you need to check and see what type of building permits you need to install a standby generator. If you are going to use propane, you are also going to want to obtain permits for installing a propane tank on your property. Make sure your property supports the building requirements for installing a commercial standby generator.

If you want to keep your business running no matter what is happening with the local power grid, you are going to need to consider what your energy needs are and what type of fuel source you want to use to power the generator. Then, you need to obtain the right permits for the generator and power source that you choose to use. Contact a commercial generator installation company for more information.