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Generator Rentals: A Viable Solution in South Africa’s Power Landscape

Why would a company consider generator rentals as opposed to buying their own unit? In a power landscape marred by poor strategic decisions, decades of mismanagement, corruption, and inadequate maintenance, Eskom’s ability to provide a stable electricity supply in South Africa has become increasingly unreliable. Frequent technical failures result in extended outages, and the poorly maintained utility generation fleet, coupled with problems at the new plants that have been commissioned, has Eskom struggling to meet national demand. The shortage in generation capacity forces Eskom to impose scheduled outages, euphemistically termed “load-shedding”, which have transitioned from being relatively rare occurrences to virtually daily events.

The impact of Eskom’s troubles is made apparent when many South African business personnel are sitting in an office without internet access, functional email, or operational office equipment while housewives and domestic workers must make do without their household appliances.

As Eskom maintains a monopoly on power provision in South Africa, there is no alternative utility to turn to for continuity of electricity supply. Companies striving to thrive, or even just survive, in a constrained South African economy are compelled to explore backup options for their business activities during load-shedding or grid failure.

Diesel gensets are an obvious option that many companies look at. For commercial and industrial power users, diesel generators offer flexibility in a number of respects. They are not only flexible technically but also offer acquisition options from outright purchase to generator rentals from various companies for both short- and long-term applications. Gensets are inherently portable so can be rapidly deployed and provide a “quick fix” to sustain business operations during long technical outages or high-frequency load-shedding.

 

Generator Rentals vs. Outright Purchase: Making the Right Business Decision

Eskom’s diminishing reliability intensifies the need for many companies to provide a dependable backup power solution. The decision-making process for companies contemplating their options in some respects echoes the broader considerations faced when acquiring any type of business equipment. A genset is, however, more critical of an acquisition than most and many businesses are virtually compelled to invest in what are typically large capital cost devices to provide a backup power solution in order to mitigate the costs and damaging consequences of grid outages.

Generator rentals are demonstrably, in some instances, a more than viable alternative to outright purchase, whether financed or bought with cash. Several companies offer generator rentals on very flexible terms and contracts may range from short, daily rentals to long-term agreements. Generator rentals may provide a cost-effective and flexible alternative to outright purchase, aiding businesses in managing cash flow, simplifying budgeting, and reducing the initial capital outlay. Rental rates often compete favourably with the total cost of ownership of outright purchase units, as they factor in maintenance and running repairs, eliminating unbudgeted-for surprises. Unlike outright purchases, generator rentals typically include maintenance and repairs, offering peace of mind regarding the continuity of the power supply. This eliminates the risk of unforeseen expenses, ensuring a reliable power supply. In addition, rental companies will usually provide a loan unit in case of the catastrophic failure of an on-site machine.

The fact that generator rentals remove the complexity of calculating the total cost of ownership makes generator rentals an attractive option when it comes to accurate budgeting. With outright cash purchases, the calculation of depreciation, currency fluctuations, and replacement cycles need to be considered, adding considerable complexity to the budgeting process.

Professional rental companies will provide sophisticated remote monitoring of their rental gensets, which is particularly beneficial for businesses with national or regional operations that employ multiple gensets at various sites. Generator rental introduces a high degree of flexibility for businesses. Changes in the load profile at a particular site, for instance, that call for a different capacity genset, can be easily accommodated as on-site units can be exchanged for units of different capacities in the genset provider’s fleet of generators. The portability of gensets allows for relocations to different premises.

The ability to upsize, downsize, or return the genset offers strategic options unique to generator rentals and becomes even more beneficial as a strategic option when a company’s power requirements are subject to future changes. Circumstances, such as the planned relocation of the company or the future acquisition of additional production capacity needing electrically powered equipment can be accommodated. Sizing of gensets is crucial and site-specific to avoid wasteful oversized units or inadequate power supply. Generator rentals often provide a good temporary solution until a permanent unit can be specified.

 

Generator Rentals for Generator Owners

For companies that have a genset or multiple gensets, generator rentals provide power in the event of a total failure of an in-house unit or where lengthy scheduled maintenance must be conducted. It is prudent to have a reputable generator rental company on the company’s supplier list that can provide an interim genset swiftly, avoiding complete shutdowns and financial losses during scheduled maintenance or unexpected failures.

In critical operations, such as hospitals, data centres, and military facilities, for instance, where continuity of supply is crucial, maintaining a relationship with a reputable company offering generator rentals is essential. These types of operations cannot afford to be without the security of an operational genset, where having electrical power may, literally, be a matter of life or death.

 

Choose PacB for Generator Rentals

Generator rental has a clear, strategic backup role as a flexible and rapidly deployable solution for businesses navigating the challenges of unreliable electricity supply. Whether for new acquisitions or existing genset owners, the option offers cost-effective, flexible, and reliable power backup. Partnering with reputable companies like ours ensures businesses have access to the right gensets, enabling uninterrupted operations during power outages or failures.

Choosing a reliable generator rentals company simplifies the process of selecting the correct genset for a specific application. At PacB, we relieve the end-user of decisions regarding the type, size, fuel type, and acoustics of the genset. When it comes to generator rentals, we take responsibility for specifying the size and type of genset required at the specific site. We will then also take responsibility for the unit’s reliable and efficient operation on-site. Our offering includes smaller diesel units on short-term rentals through to large industrial generators and long-term rental agreements. We are committed to ensuring reliable backup power and have an internationally trained team of technicians who keep our rental machines running and functioning efficiently.

For commercial and industrial generator rentals, in particular, specialist knowledge and experience are imperative. As a manufacturer of superior-quality, large, three-phase diesel generators, we have a track record of technical excellence and superior service. Our expertise, gained from a substantial install base of commercial and industrial generators, as well as a large fleet of rental generators, allows us to assist customers in making informed decisions based on specific power environment assessments.

Our generator rentals include all the essential considerations and features. Three- or single-phase plugs, automatic changeover panels, safety gear, and code-compliant signage are covered, among other considerations. Our entire rental fleet is provided with “silent run” enclosures to keep noise levels below 75dB(A) measured at a distance of 7m. Our generator rentals can be trailer or skid mounted as required. The technical team’s 24-hour availability for on-site support further underscores our commitment to providing continuous electrical power.

So, if you’re contemplating buying or renting a diesel generator, contact us today for the best possible advice at the best price.