Cat gas gen-sets secure industry-first UL Solutions certification

Caterpillar Inc. reported that its G3500 series gas generator sets ranging from 750 kW to 2.5 MW are the first in the industry certified by UL Solutions to the IEEE 1547-2018 standard for the interconnection and interoperability of distributed energy resources (DERs) with associated electric power systems interfaces. The gen-sets are certified to UL 1741 Third Edition Supplement B (SB) for meeting the requirements following testing at Kinectrics’ GridSim Power Laboratory in Toronto, Canada.

Cat G3500 series gas generator sets from 750 kW to 2.5 MW are certified by UL Solutions to the IEEE 1547-2018 standard. (Photo: Caterpillar)

Jason Kaiser, senior vice president for Caterpillar’s Electric Power Division, cited compliance with grid code standards as become increasingly important in assuring reliability and resilience as utilities address the energy transition through the expanded use of DERs, including renewable sources of energy. Certified gen-sets from the factory enable customers to quickly and reliably add stable DERs to their portfolios, reducing commissioning time and accelerating the monetization of their distributed assets.

“By offering generator sets certified to UL 1741 SB, Caterpillar is demonstrating how we continue to offer solutions that simplify the energy transition,” Kaiser added.

Cat gen-sets certified or declared as grid code compliant are factory tested and ready for customer installation with control system enhancements that interface with the utility grid to assure operation in compliance with the applicable grid code, Caterpillar noted. Grid code controls are designed with the flexibility to accommodate a range of provisions such as different reactive power modes, active power functions and connection conditions for normal operation or reconnection after mains decoupling.

Products certified to UL 1741 SB meet the requirements of the IEEE 1547-2018 standard for interconnection, grid support and interoperability of DERs through testing in accordance with IEEE Std 1547.1-2020, Caterpillar explained. The certification process includes an evaluation and confirmation of the electrical characteristics of power generation equipment, including active and reactive power, low- and high-voltage and frequency ride throughs, protection and control systems and power quality.