ECPZone.com |

It's undeniable that the phrase "going green" is highly overused, but the idea behind it is undoubtedly gaining momentum . Consumers and businesses that make a purchase — whether it be a house or office furniture or a ream of paper or an electrical appliance — are increasingly wondering: How is my purchase affecting the environment? Am I maximizing my energy efficiency and saving money? And what the heck is my "carbon footprint," anyway?

For electrical contractors, the question of energy efficiency is ever-present. As new technologies make relatively expensive power sources — such as wind and solar power — pervasive and available to the public, there will inevitably be a shift in the electrical contractor's offerings. Can standby generators hold their ground and live up to the go green trend?

Measuring the industry

It is no secret that the standby power market is doing well — partly because of increased consumer awareness. With the high profile of global warming as an issue in our news media and legislature, the consumer population is more aware than ever of the volatile nature of weather and the need to prepare for it. Threats for power outages come from more than just hurricanes and severe weather by the coast, though. In our increasingly "plugged-in" culture, overloaded and dilapidated power grids and rolling blackouts have all increased consumer awareness of the need for backup power solutions beyond portable generators and extension cords.

Since 2001, standby power sales have seen double digit growth, and industry experts estimate that in 2007, the residential standby generator market saw sales of over half a billion dollars, including installation costs. Still, the industry is considered to be in infancy and is expected to double in size in the next five years.

Technology is keeping pace with the market. Standby power first became available in the 1920s, but since then there have been great advances in features available on residential standby generators — some of which make a standby generator more energy efficient. The automatic transfer switch monitors utility power and senses when an outage takes place, automatically signaling the generator to start.

Modern generators are also much more quiet, with innovative and aesthetically pleasing enclosures that make the generator less obtrusive to the home landscape. Many generators have a much cleaner power output than earlier systems due to technologies such as automatic voltage regulation and electronic governors. Today, some "smart" generators can even be monitored via the Internet, and send e-mails to notify when service or maintenance is needed.

Also factoring into the standby generator market is its increased affordability and profitability. Contractors are finding that they are in a better position to offer this product than ever before, especially if they reside and work in a region prone to utility power outages. With demand slated to increase, it is possible that generators could become even more affordable, and electrical contractors are in the best position to promote this affordability in their outreach to customers.

Furthermore, the potential for profit is quite sizable for generator installations. Long-term profit also can come from providing service contracts on each system sold. Even if you are contracted to perform an installation after the generator is bought, there are plenty of opportunities to profit from installation and service contracts. Retailers and distributers are also looking for electricians to develop into service providers, which means they can use existing or new accounts to offer standby generators.