A growing market

Deficiencies of the national power system open opportunities for this equipment, mainly in emergency applications and in peak hours of consumption

The fear of power supply rationing, cutting or failing and the trend of increasing price rates are causing different reactions among the power consumers in the country, from the population in general to shops, industries, hospitals, entertainment units and worksites.

According to Sérgio Padovan (sales manager of Sotreq) the client that needs to reduce costs associated with power and increase the reliability in power supply has to be prepared. “Industries in general, data centers, TI companies and hospitals—to point just some examples—are areas where any interruption in power supply may cause operating problems potentially serious”, says him. “These are the organizations that have to be more worried in making available efficient alternatives to attend their demands.”

Following this line of thinking, one of the immediate reactions caused by this situation is related to the market of manufacturing, sales and rental of generating sets that at first is passing through a significant increase in the equipment demand. For Rodrigo Vidal, marketing and product manager of Atlas Copco Construction Technique, the power crisis really stimulated this niche, “since the national power system is deficient from some years on and this situation is being more serious, for example with the consequences of the hydraulic crisis that is occurring in São Paulo”.

According to him, portable generators are being more and more used in many markets, from civil construction to spaces for events, passing by health institutions and even offices. “Business cannot stop every time that power supply of the concessionaire is cut”, comments him.

INCREASE

Still in Padovan’s feeling, “the use of generators powered by diesel or natural gas was increasing during last years and will continue to increase—especially for applications in emergency situations—in a way to improve the reliability or to work in consumption peaks”. He also points that “the use of this equipment became attractive in many regions due to the last increases in power tariffs”.