Bredenoord hails performance of ESaver hybrid system

Netherlands power rental company Bredenoord is to produce a further 30 of its hybrid ESaver generators and add them to its own rental fleet.

It said early results of fuel savings were much better than expected. It had originally claimed that savings of up to 40% were possible, but now said that 70% reductions in fuel consumption were possible under certain circumstances.

The ESaver was launched last Autumn in a partnership with contractor Dura Vermeer, with ten being rented by the company on a number of construction sites. The eSaver is a 400 V battery pack which, when combined with a standard 15 kVA genset, will provide a maximum output of 30 kVA.

“In practice the savings appeared to be much more substantial than earlier tests had indicated”, said Margien Storm van Leeuwen, responsible for new business and marketing at Bredenoord. She said the ESaver was saving up to 70% in fuel and emissions compared to conventional gensets, depending on how the generator is used.

"The online ESaverclient portal provides clients with continuous site monitoring of their fuel savings and emission reductions”, said Ms van Leeuwen, “We analyse this data and thus, together with the client, we can ensure the best possible use in each specific situation. [This] results in considerable savings, and has been an important motivation in further expanding production”.

The ESaver is a 15 kVA, three phase, 400 V pack that combines with a conventional generator set. If the ESaver battery is likely to go flat or if there is a peak demand for energy, the generator engine briefly switches to full capacity at the right moment and only runs at its most efficient speed.

Bredenoord has been innovating in clean technology for some time, with products including a generator with a self-cleaning soot-filter (ClearAir), a hydrogen fuel cell generator (Purity) and an LED lighting mast.