GREENHOUSE FACILITY CASE STUDY IN B.C.

Trinity Powers a Variable Load at a Largest-of-its-Kind Greenhouse Facility

The top concern that many clients have when renting a generator is that it will produce enough power for the application. But having too much power can be just as problematic as not having enough.

When a client came to us looking for a temporary power solution that would support a load ranging from 375kW to 1250kW, the Trinity team knew it was critical to design a solution that could carry the project through the highs and the lows.

The Client: An A+ Rated Electrical Contractor

Based in BC’s lower mainland, this Electrical Contractor has been providing top quality industrial, commercial and residential electrical services for over 30 years. With over 100 employees, including an experienced team of licensed electricians, this client is driven to provide professional, reliable service for every customer — it’s not a coincidence that they’re a Better Business Bureau member with an A+ rating.

The Challenge: A Large Site With Variable Load Requirements

Greenhouse farming is a big industry in BC’s lower mainland; and big greenhouses need lots of power. Our client had been contracted by a large greenhouse operation — one of the largest of its kind in the world — that needed extra power to maintain facility operations and support an expansion construction project.

The facility covers a vast area and has a large number of greenhouses, all with precise power requirements to maintain the ideal growing environment for their crops.

With a large gas line feeding the property, a natural gas generator was the obvious choice to provide the extra power the facility needed while they waited for the permanent electrical infrastructure to arrive.

There was one catch: the site needed a generator that could handle a 1250kW load, but only on occasion. The rest of the time, only a fraction of that load would be required. And simply running a large generator at a fraction of its capacity carries the risk of underloading (or wet stacking) the generator.

Our client called us to find a solution that would meet their client’s fluctuating power needs – and we delivered.

Our Approach: A Natural Gas Generator Paired With Full-Spectrum Customer Service

First on the agenda was sourcing a 1250kW natural gas generator rental. The Trinity team not only sourced the generator, but handled its commissioning and provided orientation for the on-site personnel to ensure they were able to operate the generator safely and effectively.

Because the only available generator wasn’t on a trailer, Trinity also worked with a crane company and the site’s prime contractor to coordinate a two-crane lift that would work with the site’s spacing challenges.

And finally, in order to solve the variable load equation, we provided a 700kW automatic load bank that could be programmed to turn on when required, ensuring that the load on the generator would remain at 50% or more.

In all, on top of the generator, load bank and logistics, Trinity provided 50 feet of cable to run between the generator and a 3000A I-line panel, and 150 feet of 4/0 camlok cable to run from each of the panel’s 4 x 800A breakers to the loads.

The Result: High Crop Yields and Higher Fuel Savings

Thanks to Trinity’s timely solution and logistics planning, our client was able to meet all of their client’s deadlines, ensuring the site was able to continue to operate at full capacity while undertaking their construction plans.

And because the natural gas generator we provided was able to tap into an existing gas line, the facility was able to save big on the cost of fuel.