From Stage III to Stage V Generators
Step by step, we are renewing our rental fleet with the aim of offering only diesel generators with a Stage V engine for rent by 2024. Why? You can read all about it in this article. In 2020, we purchased our first generator with a Stage V engine, and since then we have continually invested in new machines with this type of engine.
Stage V is not a type of engine in itself. Stage V is a set of standards that an engine can meet. These are the European emission standards for engines, and in order to comply, there are various requirements regarding emissions of, among other things, particulate matter, NOx, CO, and HC.
In practice, this means that nearly all particulate filters of these diesel engines must be equipped with a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR). These extra components do make the engine assembly somewhat larger.
Engine manufacturers such as John Deere, Cummins, and Deutz have done an impressive job building this new generation of diesel engines that meet the Stage V standard. Despite the extra components, they have managed to make the engines relatively compact, without any loss of power.
Are Stage V engines mandatory?
Yes, in a sense these engines are mandatory. We, at Voet Energy Solutions, have only been allowed to add new generators to our fleet if they have a Stage V engine since early 2022. With this measure, the European Union aims to keep the negative impact on the environment as small as possible.
Can Stage IIIA generators still be used?
Yes! In our rental fleet, we also still have diesel generators that meet the Stage IIIA standard. The Stage V standard only applies to new machines we purchase. These Stage IIIA generators are certainly not extremely polluting. They are also equipped with modern engines and high-quality filters. However, Stage V is a further developed standard.
How clean is a Stage V engine?
Thanks to the modifications to the engine assembly, a diesel engine that meets the Stage V standard is many times cleaner than one that meets the Stage I standards. For example, a Stage V engine emits up to 90% less NOx than a Stage I engine, and particulate matter emissions are reduced by as much as 93% compared to Stage I.
This significant improvement is largely due to the AdBlue fuel used in Stage V engines. The engine’s exhaust gases are injected with AdBlue, which converts nitrogen oxides into substances that do not harm the air.
