Can you estimate the amount each year in CA.?What are the concerns/issues related to this application.
many years ago, when Bank of America needed such, the choice was between diesel or jet turbine. the money was about the same. the needed load was better met by diesel at that time. diesel and turbine fuel storage does not run the risk of leaking. in addition, the generators are used several times a year, during periods of high demand, as requested by PGE, for which the bank gets a reduced rate on it's electricity all year round. after the Loma Prieta quake, the bank came within 6 hours of running out of fuel for the generators.
I don't know about CA but where I live the predominant fuel for permanently installed back up generators is propane. Propane is used because generators can sit idle for weeks or months between power outages. Gasoline and diesel have limited shelf lives and fuel systems can clog with varnishes when not used. Propane has an unlimited shelf life and does not gum up in the carburetor. Natural gas is not available here. In places where it is available natural gas might be preferable to propane. Its impossible to estimate how much fuel you would use in a year. It depends how big your generator is and how many power failures you go through. Most generator manufacturers will tell you how much fuel their products use in an hour.
