Learning the Lessons of Katrina

When Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, the loss of electrical power compounded the challenges. Rescue workers could not communicate with each other. Medical teams could not operate equipment. Pumps could not function to clear the flooding. Relief centers could not be air conditioned. Municipal systems could not provide clean drinking water or remove sewage.

In any large-scale disaster – storms, fires, terrorist attacks – reliable electrical power is often the first casualty. But access to that power is critical to the response teams, where time lost can mean a difference of life and death.

With NextEnergy’s assistance, Michigan-based Titan Energy is setting a new standard for mobile disaster response equipment. Its new Sentry 5000EH is a compact, portable unit that can provide utility-quality emergency power, purified water, lighting, satellite communications and environmental conditioning (HVAC) within minutes of its arrival. Because of its size, it can be transported easily to remote locations.

To meet the needs of a variety of potential municipal, first-responder and military customers, NextEnergy helped Titan Energy to set the goals, objectives and specifications for the product, and then helped the company secure funding for the development and demonstration of a prototype.

The Sentry 5000EH unit delivers AC power from an on-board 40kw diesel generator, as well as coordinates up to three different DC inputs (solar, wind and other renewable resources) allowing the system more flexibility and reducing the operating cost. It also contains a lithium-ion battery system which sustains power output even in the event of the restriction of all of the generating sources.

Unlike stand-alone generators that require skilled tradesmen, the Sentry 5000EH is easy to deploy, easy to operate, and easy to maintain. Its pre-engineered modular design permits flexibility never seen before in emergency response power generation technology.

The Sentry 5000EH is currently being tested at NextEnergy on the Alternative Fuels Platform (AFP), one of two testing platforms at NextEnergy. For more information, please visit their website at www.titanenergy.com.