Caterpillar has announced the introduction of the Cat DG450 compact natural gas generator set, a new 450 kW ultra-low NOx power solution specifically configured for non-emergency applications in non-attainment areas designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Available at Cat dealers throughout North America, the new gas generator set is compatible with the Cat Active Management Platform (AMP), a distributed energy resource management system (DERMS) solution that helps customers monitor and manage the natural gas generator sets and other Cat power solutions. It can be applied with other distributed energy resource (DER) system components, such as Cat Energy Storage Solutions, while also managing customer load reductions. The platform monitors patterns from the grid and client facilities, analyzes opportunities in the energy industry and then dispatches DERs.
The Cat DG450 compact generator set offers performance across a range of pipeline natural gas fuel pressures. It is designed for prime power, peak shaving and demand response applications, making it a versatile choice for small- and medium-sized industrial and manufacturing applications, agriculture facilities, construction projects, municipal infrastructure, commercial enterprises and office buildings.
“As demand response programs become more prevalent as a means for rapidly expanding power capacity in non-attainment areas, the Cat DG450 compact generator set is positioned to offer customers reliable solutions that can be readily monetized at times of high energy demand,” said Jaime Mineart, senior vice president of Caterpillar Electric Power Division.
Non-attainment areas are regions in the U.S. designed by the EPA that exceed limits for one or more criteria pollutants where local regulatory authorities may establish stationary emission limits that are more stringent than standard EPA levels. There are hundreds of U.S. counties designated as non-attainment areas, including Southern California, the Eastern Seaboard from New England through the mid-Atlantic and large municipalities in East Texas.
The Cat DG450 compact generator set is available with optional, factory-installed switchgear in a single- or multi-mains control module with automatic transfer switch capabilities. Its grid communication hardware enables the monitoring and control of multiple assets to facilitate DERs monetization, while pre-cut cable kit connection options simplify the installation of up to four units.
The generator set is designed to meet the NFPA power restoration requirement for Level 1 systems and accept 100 percent block load in one step. It meets ISO 8528-5 requirements for steady state and load acceptance and it is UL 2200 listed.
Hardware is pre-installed on each generator set to enable access to Cat Connect Remote Asset Monitoring, which provides data visualization, reporting and alerts through a web interface or mobile app. Available with a subscription, it enables operators and Cat dealers to track and manage generator set operation, identify potential problems, perform remote troubleshooting, manage operational expenses and leverage long-term archives of site performance history to identify opportunities for further operational and system enhancements.
