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Where the money actually goes at an off-grid tower site
Tower power is usually budgeted as a fuel line, because fuel is the part that is visible. The costs that move the total are the ones attached to sending a person to the site.
Clean power. Today.
Twelve service visits a year?
Or one.
The microturbine genset that replaces diesel on off-grid and bad-grid sites. Up to 90% service cost saving, a 30 to 50 percent fuel cost saving from running cheaper fuels such as kerosene, and a 45,000 hours design life.
Basis: brochure case studies. Switching a site from diesel to a kerosene and heating oil mix cut fuel cost by 35 percent, and a site with reduced fuel theft cut operating cost by 50 percent.
One service visit per year
Up to 90% service cost saving
30 to 50 percent fuel cost saving
45,000 hours design life
The cost problem
Diesel Generators: A 100-year-old answer to a modern energy problem
Diesel generators serve 30 million sites worldwide with a capacity of 500GW, and the fuel and service bill behind them dwarfs the purchase price. That recurring cost is what the microturbine genset is designed to remove.
70bnlitres
of fossil fuel consumed by diesel generators annually
$70bn
replacement value of total generator fleet
100 MtCO₂
released into the atmosphere each year by diesel generators
$50bn
annual expenditure on diesel fuel
Source: International Finance Corporation (IFC) - Data from 167 developing countries
The economic case
Higher purchase price. Lower cost of ownership.
A microturbine genset costs more to buy than a diesel unit of the same rating. It costs less to own, because almost everything that makes a diesel genset expensive after year one is designed out: the monthly service visit, the oil, the fuel bill and the mid-life rebuild. This is the argument that wins in the procurement spreadsheet.
Service visits
- Bladon
- One service visit per year
- Diesel
- Once a month or 300 run hours
Up to 90% service cost saving
Fuel
- Bladon
- Runs the cheapest liquid fuel available to the site, typically kerosene
- Diesel
- Diesel only, at the diesel price
30 to 50 percent fuel cost saving (Basis: brochure case studies. Switching a site from diesel to a kerosene and heating oil mix cut fuel cost by 35 percent, and a site with reduced fuel theft cut operating cost by 50 percent.)
Replacement cycle
- Bladon
- 45,000 hours design life
- Diesel
- 15,000 to 25,000 hours design life
Roughly twice the life before replacement capex
Consumables and losses
- Bladon
- Air bearings - no oil required
- Diesel
- Oil, coolant and filters, plus exposure to fuel theft
No oil changes, and blended fuel has no resale market
Put your own numbers in
Model your diesel price, run hours, service call-out cost and fuel theft losses, and see the seven-year position for your own sites. You can download the result as a branded payback report or ask an engineer for a site-specific assessment.
Diesel, solar hybrid, fuel cell, or microturbine?
The four ways operators power an off-grid or bad-grid site, compared on the five things that decide the cost of running it.
Compared for off-grid and bad-grid prime power at 10 to 40 kW.
| Criterion | Diesel genset | Solar and battery hybrid | Fuel cell | Bladon microturbine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Servicing & life | Disadvantage. Service every 250 to 500 run hours; 15,000 to 25,000 hour life | Disadvantage. Battery replacement every few years, plus servicing the diesel genset it still relies on | Disadvantage. Stack replacement required within the design life under continuous prime duty | Advantage. Annual service, 1 visit/yr; 45,000 hour life |
| Fuel flexibility | Disadvantage. Diesel only | Disadvantage. No fuel flexibility of its own; tied to whatever the backup genset burns | Disadvantage. Single fuel, high-purity hydrogen or methanol | Advantage. Multiple fuel types and blended fuels incl. HVO; H2 and gas in development |
| Emissions | Disadvantage. Particulates, NOx and soot | Matched. Clean while generating, and the backup genset it relies on still emits | Advantage. Zero emissions at point of use | Advantage. Exceeds EU Stage V emissions limits; near-zero soot / PM |
| Noise & vibration | Disadvantage. 75 to 90 dB(A) at 1 m, with vibration | Matched. Silent on solar, and the backup genset it relies on is not | Advantage. Near silent | Advantage. MTG12 60 dB LPA at 10 m; MTP40 60 dB(A) at 7 m and 85 dB(A) at 1 m (design target, not yet verified by test); minimal vibration |
| Operating cost | Disadvantage. Diesel only at the diesel price, frequent service visits, exposure to fuel theft | Disadvantage. High capital cost, sized for worst-case conditions, and still buying diesel for the backup | Disadvantage. Hydrogen supply and logistics cost at remote sites | Advantage. Up to 90% service cost saving and 30 to 50 percent fuel cost saving |
Bladon microturbine
- Servicing & life
- Advantage. Annual service, 1 visit/yr; 45,000 hour life
- Fuel flexibility
- Advantage. Multiple fuel types and blended fuels incl. HVO; H2 and gas in development
- Emissions
- Advantage. Exceeds EU Stage V emissions limits; near-zero soot / PM
- Noise & vibration
- Advantage. MTG12 60 dB LPA at 10 m; MTP40 60 dB(A) at 7 m and 85 dB(A) at 1 m (design target, not yet verified by test); minimal vibration
- Operating cost
- Advantage. Up to 90% service cost saving and 30 to 50 percent fuel cost saving
Fuel cell
- Servicing & life
- Disadvantage. Stack replacement required within the design life under continuous prime duty
- Fuel flexibility
- Disadvantage. Single fuel, high-purity hydrogen or methanol
- Emissions
- Advantage. Zero emissions at point of use
- Noise & vibration
- Advantage. Near silent
- Operating cost
- Disadvantage. Hydrogen supply and logistics cost at remote sites
Solar and battery hybrid
- Servicing & life
- Disadvantage. Battery replacement every few years, plus servicing the diesel genset it still relies on
- Fuel flexibility
- Disadvantage. No fuel flexibility of its own; tied to whatever the backup genset burns
- Emissions
- Matched. Clean while generating, and the backup genset it relies on still emits
- Noise & vibration
- Matched. Silent on solar, and the backup genset it relies on is not
- Operating cost
- Disadvantage. High capital cost, sized for worst-case conditions, and still buying diesel for the backup
Diesel genset
- Servicing & life
- Disadvantage. Service every 250 to 500 run hours; 15,000 to 25,000 hour life
- Fuel flexibility
- Disadvantage. Diesel only
- Emissions
- Disadvantage. Particulates, NOx and soot
- Noise & vibration
- Disadvantage. 75 to 90 dB(A) at 1 m, with vibration
- Operating cost
- Disadvantage. Diesel only at the diesel price, frequent service visits, exposure to fuel theft
- Advantage
- Matched
- Disadvantage
The proof
Real-World Success Stories
Measured operating results from live deployments, not projections. Each figure below comes from a documented site.
Mobile Networks
Mobile Networks
Oil and Gas
Telecommunications
Mobile Networks
Want the numbers for your own sites?
Model your fuel prices, run hours and service costs, or review the independent validation and field evidence behind these results.
Why the economics work
One Moving Part Is Why the Service Bill Falls
A reciprocating engine needs a service visit roughly once a month because it has hundreds of wearing parts, oil and coolant. The microturbine has one moving part on air bearings, which is why it runs a year between visits and why it will burn whatever liquid fuel is cheapest at your site. 57 patents protect that, but the patents are the reason for the saving, not the pitch.
57 Patents with more in progress
Microturbine Engine
- Ultra-High Speed: 135,000 RPM
- 4 patents granted, more in progress
- Advanced high-speed motor
World Leader in Air Bearings
- Zero wear while operating
- 4 patents granted
- Significantly reduces O&M and increases turbine life
Combustor
- Future-proofed modular design
- 99.9% efficient
- Exceeds EU Stage V emissions limits
Heat Exchanger
- Highly efficient & compact
- Operates at 700°C
- Advanced manufacturing used by F1 racing champions
Fuel Flexibility Is a Purchasing Lever
Buying the cheapest liquid fuel that reaches the site, rather than the one grade the engine will tolerate, is a direct line off the fuel bill. Bladon MTGs run diesel, kerosene, paraffin, HVO, FAME biofuel, and blends of these in any ratio without impacting performance - plus SAFs and eFUELs. Biogas, LPG, natural gas, flare gas, hydrogen, ethanol and bioethanol are in development, enabled by our modular combustor design.
DieselKeroseneParaffinHVOFAME biofuelBiogasIn developmentLPGIn developmentNatural gasIn developmentFlare gasIn developmentHydrogenIn developmentEthanolIn developmentBioethanolIn development
About Bladon
Built Around Your Operating Budget
Bladon designs, develops and manufactures Microturbine Gensets (MTG) in the UK for operators whose generator fleet is a recurring cost line rather than a one-off purchase. The MTG delivers practical primary power without the operating costs of a conventional diesel genset - and, as a consequence of how it burns fuel, without the noise and pollutants either.
It lowers monthly operating expenses and total cost of ownership against traditional diesel gensets, hybrid diesel gensets and fuel cells, and the gap is widest exactly where servicing is most expensive: off-grid and bad-grid sites.
Reliable
Only one moving part with proven technology
Fuel Flexible
Diesel, kerosene, paraffin, HVO, FAME biofuel, and blends of these in any ratio
Ultra Low Maintenance
One service visit per year
Remote Monitoring
24/7 real-time monitoring included
Clean
Exceeds EU Stage V emissions limits
Quiet
MTG12: 60 dB LPA at 10 m (50 dB LPA at 10 m with the optional Silent Pack). MTP40: 60 dB(A) at 7 m and 85 dB(A) at 1 m (design target, not yet verified by test)
12 kVA
Microturbine Genset
45,000
Hours Lifetime
See It In Action
Tour Our HQ
Take a behind-the-scenes look at Bladon's world-class manufacturing facility and see our microturbine technology in action.
Bladon Microturbine Tour of HQ
02:53
Supporting Customer Needs with
Innovative Microturbine Power
Watch how our Bladon Microturbine is more reliable, reduces operating costs, is quieter and fuel flexible vs traditional DGs
More reliable.
One moving part with air bearing technology ensures high uptime, minimal wear, and a lifespan twice as long as a traditional DG.
Reduced OPEX.
One service visit per year, vs 12 for a diesel genset, with no engine oil or filters, cutting service costs by up to 90%.
Quieter.
On noise, the MTG12 runs at 60 dB LPA at 10 m, or 50 dB LPA at 10 m with the optional Silent Pack, and the MTP40 has a design target of 60 dB(A) at 7 m and 85 dB(A) at 1 m, not yet verified by test. Significantly quieter than diesel gensets, making it ideal for sensitive and urban environments.
Fuel flexible.
Runs diesel, FAME biofuel, kerosene, paraffin or HVO, individually or blended. Cheaper fuels such as kerosene also have little black-market value, so far less of the delivered fuel is lost to theft.
Where the money goes
The Top 10 Advantages
Bladon Microturbine Genset vs diesel genset, line by line. Eight of these ten advantages show up directly in an operating budget.
01
Lower Service Costs
✓
Bladon MTG
One service visit per year regardless of run hours
✗
Diesel Genset
Once a month or 300 run hours
02
Cleaner & Quieter
✓
Bladon MTG
97% less CO, 97% less particulates, 33% less NOx. MTG12: 60 dB LPA at 10 m (50 dB LPA at 10 m with the optional Silent Pack). MTP40: 60 dB(A) at 7 m and 85 dB(A) at 1 m (design target, not yet verified by test)
✗
Diesel Genset
High emissions, hazardous waste disposal required
03
More Reliable
✓
Bladon MTG
Patented Air Bearings with only one moving part, zero wear while operating
✗
Diesel Genset
Multiple overhauls and major services required
04
Double the Lifetime
✓
Bladon MTG
45,000 hours design life with non-stop operation for 8,760 hours
✗
Diesel Genset
15,000 to 25,000 hours design life
05
Fuel Flexible
✓
Bladon MTG
Run on diesel, kerosene, paraffin, HVO, FAME biofuel, and blends of these in any ratio without impacting performance, so the site can buy whichever fuel is cheapest
✗
Diesel Genset
Can only run on diesel, at the diesel price
06
Highly Autonomous
✓
Bladon MTG
Remote monitoring with remote start/stop, automation and 24/7 real-time monitoring
✗
Diesel Genset
Separate platform required, manual intervention needed
07
Lower Running Costs
✓
Bladon MTG
30 to 50 percent fuel cost saving because the unit runs cheaper fuels such as kerosene, plus minimal consumables and no engine oil. The MTG12 has no liquid coolant circuit; the MTP40 uses a sealed for life water glycol mix. Basis: brochure case studies. Switching a site from diesel to a kerosene and heating oil mix cut fuel cost by 35 percent, and a site with reduced fuel theft cut operating cost by 50 percent.
✗
Diesel Genset
Diesel only, at the diesel price, with frequent maintenance costs
08
Security of Supply
✓
Bladon MTG
Stops fuel theft with a sealed system, and kerosene and blended fuels have little black-market resale value, which removes the incentive to siphon them
✗
Diesel Genset
Vulnerable to fuel theft, high-value target
09
PV/Wind Compatible
✓
Bladon MTG
Compatible with solar and wind energy sources to increase autonomy
✗
Diesel Genset
Not designed for hybrid operation
10
Total Support
✓
Bladon MTG
Global partner network, in-country technical support, 24/7 spare parts
✗
Diesel Genset
Limited support network
New - Now available for pre-order
The MTP40 is here. 40 kVA, three phase.
32 kW prime, 44 kVA standby, 200% short circuit capability - the Bladon microturbine platform scaled up for multi-tenant tower sites, larger field camps and industrial three-phase loads. Same multi-fuel operation, one service visit per year, same 45,000 hours design life. Order books are open and delivery slots are being allocated now.
Technical Specifications
The Bladon Microturbine range
Two units on one platform. The MTG12 is in production - available now; the MTP40 adds 40 kVA three-phase output and is now available for pre-order. Both share the same multi-fuel operation, one service visit per year and 45,000 hours design life.
12kW
Prime Power
1
Moving Part
97%
Less Emissions
24/7
Monitoring
Subject to the Cold Pack or Hot Pack kit, with output de-rating for altitude and temperature above ISO 8528 standard reference conditions.
MTG12 - full specifications
Power Output
12 kVA / 12 kW prime230 Vac 50/60 Hz single phase
Phase
Single phase
Power Factor
1.0
Fuel Types
Diesel, Kerosene, Paraffin, HVO, FAME biofuelBlends of these in any ratio
Engine Type
65,000 to 135,000 RPMMTG12 - Air cooled, air bearing, no engine oil and no liquid coolant circuit
Cooling
Air cooledMTG12
Lubrication
Air BearingsNo oil required
Noise Level
60 dB LPA at 10 m50 dB LPA at 10 m with the optional Silent Pack. Measured at 10 m in free-field conditions, per the product datasheet.
Vibration
NoneNegligible
Operating Temp
-20°C to +50°CSubject to the Cold Pack or Hot Pack kit, with output de-rating for altitude and temperature above ISO 8528 standard reference conditions.
Rated condition
15°C (ISO standard reference conditions)
Altitude
Up to 2000mAbove sea level
Service Life
45,000 hoursOne service visit per year
Warranty
12 months / 8,760 hours
Availability
In production - available now
Insights
All insightsLatest from Bladon
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News
Bladon announced as the winner of the Vodafone Renewable Energy Challenge
Bladon was named winner of the Vodafone Renewable Energy Challenge, recognising its microturbine technology for remote and off-grid power.
Get In Touch
Reduce Your Operating Overheads
Ready to burn cleaner, reduce operating costs and reduce noise pollution? Contact our team to discuss your power requirements.
Address
Unit 3 Spartan CloseWarwick, WarwickshireCV34 6NGUnited Kingdom