Waukesha, Wisconsin — Generac Power Systems is well known for innovative solutions to standby power requirements. This trend continues with the expanded Modular Power System (MPS), bringing unrivaled flexibility and cost effectiveness to all kinds of applications from three hundred kilowatts to six megawatts.

Large engine generator sets are impressive to look at, but they’re very costly to purchase and operate. When they’re not operating at full capacity, they’re cost inefficient and not economical for handling lesser loads. By combining two or more smaller gensets in a side-by-side parallel arrangement, the Modular Power System is a superior alternative. As a vertically integrated manufacturer, Generac has devoted its energies to breaking the cost barrier in order to bring this multiple unit capability to an entirely new range of applications. The PowerManager® control system works with Generac’s own onboard paralleling technology, eliminating the need for expensive switchgear cabinets.

The purchase price – including Generac’s own fully integrated paralleling switch technology – is approximately 10 to 20% lower than large, single engine units (the actual savings may be even greater in some cases). Since the generators can be operated individually or in concert with each other, the modular system has unmatched flexibility and is fully adaptable to lesser loads. The modular design also means that any system is scalable by simply adding another MPS genset.

"The concept of using multiple gensets in parallel to produce greater amounts of power is not anything new," according to Robert Kern, founder and CEO of Generac Power Systems. "It is a well-proven method commonly used with large megawatt units in expensive, premium installations."

"What’s new is that we’ve now brought this flexibility and redundancy to lower kilowatt gensets at a very affordable price," Kern says. "In the past, the high cost of switchgear made the multiple unit arrangement feasible only for expensive, high-end applications where it was a less significant portion of the overall acquisition cost. For smaller projects, the expense was prohibitive. We’ve changed all of that, and that’s why we’re so excited about this concept. With three different fuel options, we’re offering the marketplace a real choice."

By relying upon powerful but less expensive variations of mass produced industrial truck engines, MPS does the job better than more costly single engine units, with additional benefits. Depending upon fuel preference, a variety of gensets are available as the building blocks of the MPS system, including the Gemini® Twin Pack model offering greater power density. MPS gensets of the same fuel type can be easily combined, even if the kilowatt ratings are different. Diesel MPS offerings range from 600 to 6000 kW, gaseous MPS models cover outputs from 300 to 1000+ kW, and bi-fuel MPS combinations (using 10% diesel, 90% natural gas) range from 300 to 2250 kW.

When the gensets are started in response to an outage or command, the first one to reach proper voltage and frequency connects to the generator bus. As the other gensets come up to proper speed, they are then paralleled to the generator bus, adding their output. Depending upon the configuration and number of transfer switches, the load can be transferred incrementally or all at once. Then, the generators proportionately share the load, while acting as a single unit.

Generac’s Modular Power System provides the ability to implement n + 1 or greater redundancy at a much lower acquisition cost, providing greater reliability, as well as coverage during maintenance. Load shed capability is provided in the event that one or more of the generators is unavailable, as well.

The Modular Power System offers other advantages. Large, single engine units have extended lead times. MPS is available much more quickly, and the most popular modules are kept in stock under Generac’s Rapid Deployment Program for even faster shipment. Installation is easier also, since the smaller gensets can be lifted, moved, and placed with conventional lifting equipment instead of heavy-duty cranes.

Generac’s Modular Power System exemplifies the company’s drive toward innovative, market-focused products that possess a wider range of capabilities for the end user. In terms of dollars per kilowatt, when potential buyers compare the cost of acquiring and operating the more flexible Modular Power System versus large single engine units, the bottom line advantages will be immediately obvious.

For further information on MPS, contact the Generac Power Systems Information Center toll-free at (888) GENERAC .