Back-Up Generators

Redmore Environmental can provide Air Quality Consultancy Services in support of planning or Environmental Permit applications involving back-up generators.

The Requirement for Back-Up Generators

Back-up generators are essential plant that ensure the continuity of power for critical infrastructure during emergencies or national grid outage. Such power shortages may result from extreme weather events, power demands of an unmanageable level, or other unforeseen circumstances. As these facilities are often operational during peak hours they may also be referred to as peaking power plants, which help keep periods of electrical downtime to a minimum.

Generators can run on different fuel sources, commonly diesel or natural gas, depending on the model and operator needs. The sites are often known as short-term operating reserves or flexible generation facilities, supplying additional electricity to the national grid at times of peak demand. Generators are often also used in data centres to support computer systems and associated components, ensuring operations run with uninterrupted power. The demand for data centres is expected to continually grow, as will associated energy input.

The plants start up automatically or manually – depending on the system – using engines to produce electricity. The burning of fuel results in the release of combustion emissions as a waste product.

Our Services

One of the key concerns with back-up generators are the impacts on air quality associated with combustion emissions. As the generators emit various pollutants as by-products of combustion they have the potential to contribute to poor air quality and negative health effects. The specialist team at Redmore Environmental can work with you to produce the most appropriate Air Quality Assessment for your site, considering significance with respect to the relevant Air Quality Standards Regulations and UK Air Quality Strategy (AQS) Objectives to ensure compliance. Our services include:

• Dispersion Modelling
• Air Quality Assessments
• Environmental Permit Applications
• Construction Dust Assessments
• Climate Change Adaptation Plans
• Ecological Air Quality Assessments

The significance of predicted air quality impacts can be determined for planning or Environmental Permitting in accordance with the methodology outlined in either the Institute of Air Quality Management or Environmental Agency guidance, respectively.

How We Can Help

Dispersion modelling, using the software ADMS-6 or AERMOD, can help determine the extent of impacts associated with the combustion of diesel or natural gas. These projects utilise information such as emission rates, stack heights, output temperatures and local meteorological data to calculate how releases travel through the atmosphere. A review of information using the Multi-Agency Geographic Information for the Countryside and UK Air Pollution Information System websites can also be undertaken to identify ecological designations for consideration within the Air Qaulity Assessment. Pollutant levels at nearby sensitive human and ecological locations can be analysed, and total pollutant concentrations, taking into account background levels already in existence,  compared to the relevant Environmental Quality Standards.

We have been involved in a large number of exciting back-up generator projects in recent years. These include:

• Lower Dunton, Short-Term Operating Reserve
• Cody Park Data Centre
• Ampthill Flexible Generation Facility, Bedfordshire

If you require Air Quality Consultancy Services for back-up generators then please do not hesitate to get in touch with one of our specialist Air Quality Consultants today to find out more about how we can help you with your energy generation project.