Blackouts worth enjoying: Genesal Energy gets ready to experience the eclipse safely

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At Genesal Energy, we are used to talking about energy, continuity of supply and ensuring that the power never goes out when it is needed most. However, on 12 August, there will be one exception that we are particularly excited about.

On that day, we will be able to witness the first total solar eclipse visible from the Iberian Peninsula in more than a century. This extraordinary astronomical phenomenon will be visible from different parts of Spain, including A Coruña, where our headquarters are located. We want our entire workforce to be able to enjoy this unique moment as safely as possible.

That is why we are once again joining forces with Afflelou to provide our employees with certified solar viewing glasses, completely free of charge. When it comes to caring for people, every detail matters, and eye health is also part of our commitment to our team’s wellbeing.

A different kind of ‘blackout’

If there is one thing that defines our work, it is preventing blackouts from happening. However, there is one blackout that is well worth experiencing. For a few minutes, the Moon will completely cover the Sun, offering us a truly unforgettable spectacle. A natural blackout that we want to enjoy with the peace of mind that comes from knowing we are doing so safely.

With this new initiative, we are strengthening a partnership based on a shared objective: promoting people’s wellbeing through practical actions that help protect their health.

This initiative reflects an approach to caring for people that extends beyond the workplace. We want everyone who is part of Genesal Energy to experience this historic event with the same safety and confidence that we bring to every project and every challenge we face in our day-to-day work.

A partnership that continues to grow

This is not the first time we have collaborated with Afflelou on initiatives related to eye health. In 2023, we took a pioneering step by becoming the first company in Spain to join its Protect Plan. Thanks to this agreement, our employees were able to access eye examinations, glasses or contact lenses, as well as blue-light-filtering lenses to help prevent the eye strain associated with prolonged screen use.

With this new initiative, we are strengthening a partnership based on a shared objective: promoting people’s wellbeing through practical actions that help protect their health. On this occasion, our focus is on an exceptional event.

Backup Power for the Steel Industry: Maximum Reliability for Critical Processes

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The continuity of the power supply is a key factor in industrial environments with continuous production processes and high energy demands.

In this context, Genesal Energy supplied a 1,250 kVA generator set to a steel manufacturing company in northern Spain, ensuring the operational continuity of its plant in the event of any disruption to the electrical grid.

A Demanding Environment Where Power Cannot Fail

Facilities of this kind require a constant electrical supply due to the uninterrupted nature of their processes and the high energy consumption of their equipment. An uncontrolled outage can result in anything from machinery damage to significant losses of in-process materials, while also compromising personnel safety.

In these environments, having a reliable backup power system is essential to keep critical assets such as furnaces, hydraulic systems, cranes and control equipment operational. Furthermore, sudden temperature fluctuations caused by an unexpected shutdown can severely affect the entire infrastructure, leading to substantial financial losses.

Continuity, Autonomy and Adaptability: The Engineering Challenge

The client required a solution capable of ensuring the continuous operation of critical systems, minimising risks while guaranteeing both plant safety and compliance with stringent operational requirements.

Genesal Energy’s engineering team designed a bespoke solution based on a generator set mounted on a 4,400mm base frame, featuring an engine-alternator assembly with a flexible direct coupling.

Unlike other configurations, the system did not incorporate an integrated fuel tank. Instead, it is fed from a certified 1,000-litre double-wall fuel tank complemented by an additional 1,500-litre tank equipped with a fuel transfer system and pumping panel, ensuring the autonomy required for continuous operation.

Advanced Safety and Total Control

One of the key aspects of the project was the incorporation of advanced safety features which are less commonly found in this type of application, including a lockable battery compartment with a padlock-operated isolator switch and a 2,000A motorised circuit breaker, also fitted with a locking system.

The control panel was fully customised to the client’s requirements, incorporating specific alarms, colour-coded wiring identification, and an audible and visual signalling tower to indicate the operating status of the generator set. Attention was also given to operational safety through the inclusion of guards on moving and hot components, as well as emergency stop systems.

Seamless Integration into the Facility

The project also included the design of the auxiliary systems required to ensure the correct integration of the generator set within the plant. Specific calculations were carried out for exhaust gas evacuation, leading to the supply of a double-wall stainless-steel modular chimney system.

In addition, components such as a discharge plenum, flexible connector and louvre grille were designed and installed to channel radiator airflow to the outside, optimising system performance and ensuring safe operating conditions.

Key Features

  • Flexible coupling system between engine and alternator.
  • Anti-vibration mounts specifically calculated according to the engine and alternator configuration.
  • Oversized silent enclosure (-30 dB attenuation).
  • 2,000A motorised circuit breaker with padlock locking system.
  • Circuit breaker fitted with an undervoltage release coil to protect against overloads, short circuits and earth faults.
  • 1,000W engine coolant heater.
  • Certified 1,000-litre double-wall steel/polyethylene daily fuel tank.
  • Certified 1,500-litre above-ground double-wall steel fuel tank.
  • Fuel transfer pumping panel.
  • Fuel transfer system with high-level and low-level float switches, pumps and solenoid valves.
  • Exhaust system calculations for a double-wall stainless-steel modular chimney.
  • Design and supply of discharge plenum, flexible connector and louvre grille for generator cooling air discharge.
  • Surface coating treatment in accordance with ISO 12944 C5.
  • Lockable battery isolator switch.

A bespoke 1,850 kVA solution to protect the cold chain at a major logistics platform in Getafe

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At a food distribution platform, refrigeration is not merely an operational consideration: it is central to the entire business. A power outage at the wrong time can put tons of products at risk, disrupt traceability and bring goods reception and dispatch operations to a standstill.

For a major Spanish supermarket chain, managing this risk effectively required an emergency generator set capable of meeting the facility’s demanding requirements.

Genesal Energy has designed a complete solution encompassing not only the equipment itself, but also the installation engineering, its integration into the building and the design of the exhaust gas system.

Available space as the starting point for the engineering design

The logistics centre’s plant room had significant space constraints, making the installation design one of the main challenges of the project.

To address this limitation, we developed a 1,850 kVA open generator set mounted on a fully bespoke base frame, designed to fit the available space without the need to dismantle any components during transport. This solution simplified both logistics and installation work.

The base frame incorporates a 1,000-litre fuel tank that provides the autonomy required for this application. The power and control panels were also integrated into the base frame, making optimum use of the available space while maintaining full accessibility for maintenance work.

Complete integration: from the generator set to the building

Our involvement went beyond supplying the generator set, as we also developed the complete installation engineering.

We designed the exhaust gas system and collaborated on defining the acoustic attenuation solution. As part of this work, our technical team designed the ventilation attenuators, which were subsequently manufactured by the customer.

Before delivery, the generator set underwent the corresponding FATs (Factory Acceptance Tests) at our facilities, attended by both our direct customer and the end customer. During the tests, single-step load impacts of up to 65% were applied to verify the generator set’s correct performance and its response capability under the installation’s operating requirements.

This project reflects our approach to every challenge: developing customised solutions that combine engineering, manufacturing and technical expertise to meet the specific needs of each installation.

Key features

  • Special 1,000-litre fuel tank integrated into the base frame.
  • Power cabinet with a 3,200 A circuit breaker, differential protection and busbars for connection to the customer’s power cables.
  • Protective enclosure for two 225 Ah batteries.
  • Control panel fitted with a ComAp InteliLite AMF 25 IL4 controller.
  • Pump-assisted engine heating system to maintain the engine at the optimum temperature for starting and immediate load acceptance.
  • Electronically governed engine.
  • Exhaust silencers with 25 dB attenuation.