Guide
Five options that genuinely replace a diesel set on a temporary site, and the conditions each one needs to make sense.
The battery carries the site and recharges from shore power or solar. This works where a recharge source exists and the daily energy use fits within what can be replaced between runs. The generator leaves site entirely — along with the fuel account, the servicing and the noise.
Best for: construction compounds with a supply arriving, events, film units, healthcare, telecom and any indoor or enclosed application.
The battery carries the load and a right-sized generator starts only to recharge it, then drops to standby. Generator runtime falls sharply and the engine runs in its efficient band. You keep unlimited duration and full capacity for the worst case.
Best for: long deployments, high or unpredictable loads, and any site where removing the generator entirely feels like too much risk. This is usually the right first step.
Photovoltaic panels recharge the battery during daylight, which turns a fixed runtime into an open-ended one wherever daily load sits within the array's daily output. It is the only option that removes fuel logistics completely at a remote site.
Best for: remote sites with modest continuous loads — telecom nodes, monitoring stations, remote compounds, long location shoots. See solar + battery storage.
Where the utility can provide a temporary supply within the programme, it is usually the cheapest energy available. The obstacles are lead time, cost of connection, and the fact that on many sites the supply arrives late in the build — which is exactly when temporary power was needed most.
Best for: long programmes with early utility engagement. Storage often bridges the gap until it arrives.
Hydrogen fuel cells and HVO/renewable diesel both reduce emissions relative to conventional diesel. HVO is a drop-in change requiring no new equipment; hydrogen requires new equipment and a supply chain that is still thin in most markets.
Best for: organisations with a specific emissions commitment and the supply arrangements to support it. For most sites today, battery or hybrid is the more practical route.
Questions answered
For most temporary power applications, a battery energy storage system — either as a full replacement where a recharge source exists, or as a hybrid where a right-sized generator recharges the battery.
Yes. Battery storage produces no emissions at the point of use, and solar plus storage removes fuel entirely. Hydrogen fuel cells are also zero-emission at the point of use but need a supply chain that is not yet widely available.
Yes. Putting a battery in front of the generator means the generator starts only to recharge and then shuts down, which cuts running hours sharply while keeping full capacity available.
Get in touch
Tell us the site, the load and the runtime you need. Our Austin engineering team comes back with a configuration, a runtime estimate and a price.
+1 512-316-7347
info@pulsar.industries
WhatsApp +1 512-585-8293
