How Solar Powered Generators Protect Sites from Oil Price Rises

Date: 01/04/26

With the war in Iran dragging on, oil prices have been rising rapidly, with crude oil regularly over $100 per barrel. This, in turn, is driving up the cost of the fuel construction companies use on site to generate electricity and power their plant and equipment.

But with red diesel now banned from construction sites, how can you cut your site fuel bill without losing productivity? 

The answer is as clear as day! Solar energy is not subject to international events, and the price does not fluctuate from week to week, because it’s completely free.

In this article, we’ll show you how integrating solar powered generators into your site can protect you from fuel price fluctuations in these uncertain times. We’ll also show you how battery energy storage systems (BESS) can help smooth the flow of renewable energy to deliver regular, reliable power.

The problem with diesel

As discussed above, diesel fuel prices are rising rapidly, often changing from day to day. This makes it increasingly difficult to price jobs in a competitive market, where margins are always tight, and bids often go in months ahead of the start date. 

Quote for a job today, based on current fuel prices, and you could end up barely breaking even, or possibly even losing money on the job, if the war takes a new turn and oil prices rise even further. At the same time, if you try to price in these unpredictable rises, you could lose out altogether to a lower quote.

The set cost of solar powered generators

The good news is that solar energy is free, and it will stay that way from quote to completion. It’s not affected by international politics or events in the Strait of Hormuz, and its price does not fluctuate wildly based on Donald Trump’s latest Truth Social posts.

Solar powered generators, combined with BESS solutions, can fix your energy prices, giving you significant savings, as well as peace of mind when pricing jobs. They may cost a little more to hire, but they more than compensate for this with reductions of over 90% in fuel costs.

Solar powered generators can run all year round, even when it isn’t sunny. Combining solar powered generators with battery energy storage systems makes them even more practical and reliable, ensuring energy on demand whenever you need it.

How much can I save by switching my site to solar powered generators?

Here at Think Hire, we don’t just make claims or estimate the savings of our solar powered generators; we prove those savings with real-life results. Here are the savings from just two of our recent solar powered generator hires:

Sitegrid X45 (January 2026)

Our client operated a solar powered generator with a Sitegrid X45 BESS for 18 days and saved over £2,000. In this time, they achieved:

• 94% reduction in fuel use

• Fuel costs down £3,652 to £212

• Total saving (after hire costs) £2,043

Sitegrid X200 (January 2026)

Our client installed a solar powered generator with a Sitegrid X200 for three days and saved almost £900. Even in this short hire, they achieved:

• 99% reduction in fuel use

• Fuel costs down from £1,555 to £20

• Total saving (after hire costs) £893

For full details of these operations, and many more similar savings, talk to our team today or check out our case studies online.

Start saving with solar powered generators today

Cutting the amount of fuel your site uses has never been more important than it is today. Unless you take action and move to renewable sources such as solar powered generators, your operating costs could soon spiral out of control, putting your project, your profits and even your company at risk.

Don’t let a faraway foreign war jeopardise your business. Talk to Think Hire today about solar powered generators and BESS solutions, and cut your fuel bill by over 90%.

Frequently asked questions about solar powered generators

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