Netherlands-based off-grid power products specialist, WhisperPower, has developed a new range of powerful and low-emission generators in co-operation with MTD based in Quickborn, Germany. The result is the W SQ 40 Stage V, an extremely quiet 40kW mobile generator that is fully compliant with the latest Stage V emission regulations. The unit is compact and light enough for road hauling under a standard car licence and runs at noise levels of less than 53 decibels (dB). In real terms, that is slightly louder than a babbling brook, but less than light city traffic.
WhisperPower has long-predicted the tightening of global emissions regulations, both for exhaust gases and noise and designed its green energy product range accordingly. From January 2022, for example, all new-built mobile (except emergency) generators of more than 19kW nominal output must meet the Stage V European rules for non-road mobile machinery (NRMM). Whilst many 20kW+ generators are already Stage V compliant, they are usually static models for use on construction sites, with noise levels of 65dB (equivalent to light city traffic).
WhisperPower saw a gap in the market and formed a strategic alliance with MTD Sonderfahrzeugbau to create a selection of marine and mobile generators above 35kW, yet with much quieter running. One of the many applications for the new W SQ 40 Stage V generators is powering outside film and broadcast units, where they meet the EU’s new ‘green shooting’ rules. The new generators can be towed easily behind vehicles of up to 3.5 tonnes, and this has greatly aided their quick deployment. In addition, they will reduce running costs and emissions from existing broadcast units by between 50%-70%. The much lower noise and exhaust levels will help with access to more environmentally-sensitive locations.
The next tranche of development is to harness the new W SQ 40 Stage V into the rest of the WhisperPower green energy portfolio, such as powering the OctoPower self-contained battery and inverter system.
"We are planning Stage V generator systems with battery packs and high-power three phase inverters," said Cord Brandt, Head of Sales at Whisper Power in Germany (pictured left). "They will operate with a total system output of 50kW, which would otherwise need a much larger diesel engine. When based on the new OctoPower hybrid solutions, 15kW can be generated purely from the Lithium battery bank via the inverter. The remaining 35kW can then come from the generator to provide a full 50kW of output when needed."
Cord Brandt
For Jens Duwe, managing director of MTD, this kind of partnership is helping towards mobile energy security in an increasingly regulated world. “This is exactly the kind of cooperation we have been waiting for with WhisperPower,” he said. “Now we have the opportunity to take our customers with us into the future.”
The first models of the new W SQ 40 Stage V generators will be available from the Summer of 2021, with the competitive pricing to be announced at the launch.