Guide
Temporary power is usually specified quickly and sized for the worst case. Here is how to do it properly, and what changes when storage is an option.
Temporary power exists because the permanent supply is absent, insufficient or not yet energised. That covers construction sites, events, film locations, disaster response, facility upgrades and any situation where the requirement has a start and an end date.
Because it is temporary, the specification is usually written under time pressure, sized generously, and filled with whatever the hire desk had available. The result is a generator running far below its rating for weeks — with a fuel account, a servicing schedule, a noise condition and a spill plan attached to it.
| Establish | Why it matters | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Largest simultaneous load (kW) | Sets the power rating the system must deliver | Equipment schedule plus starting currents |
| Total energy per run (kWh) | Sets runtime and therefore pack size | Load multiplied by operating hours |
| Voltage and phase | Determines the model and receptacle set | Site distribution and equipment plates |
| Recharge window | Decides whether one unit is enough | Shift pattern and available supply |
| Duration on site | Decides rent versus buy | Programme or event schedule |
With a battery in scope, the peak and the average stop being the same conversation. The battery covers the peak from stored energy, and the recharge source only has to replace the average — which is often a fraction of what a generator would have been sized for.
That is why hybrid systems downsize the generator rather than removing it: the genset is specified for recharge duty, not for the site's worst instantaneous moment. See diesel generator alternative.
Questions answered
Temporary power is electricity supplied to a site with no permanent connection, an insufficient one, or one not yet energised. It is standard on construction sites, events, film locations, disaster response and during facility upgrades.
From hours to indefinitely depending on load and recharge arrangement. A 30 kWh trailer covers a typical construction site for 4 to 8 hours, or emergency lighting and communications for up to seven days at low load.
Battery energy storage, either as a full replacement or as a hybrid; solar plus storage for remote sites; and a temporary grid connection where the utility can deliver one in time.
Get in touch
Tell us the site, the load and the runtime you need. Our Austin engineering team comes back with a configuration, a runtime estimate and a price.
+1 512-316-7347
info@pulsar.industries
WhatsApp +1 512-585-8293
