Industrial and commercial buildings need a reliable energy supply to manufacture and store goods or for the comfort of their customers. Unfortunately, the blackouts of the grid can last hours, necessitating using on-site diesel generators to ensure a stable power supply. However, the energy coming from diesel is expensive can cost up to one $US per kWh which puts pressure on operating costs.
Solar energy provides an opportunity to reduce these operating costs, since solar prices are decreasing while fuel prices are rising. Many commercial and industrial buildings are now integrating a solar plant with their existing diesel plant. When a grid blackout occurs, the diesel generators start operating to power the building. The Solar plant offsets the generator load while ensuring minimum genset loading and reverse power protection to avoid permanent damage to the existing diesel plant.
