🪨 Power for Aggregate Companies: The Ultimate Generator Buying Guide
How to Select the Right Power System for Crushing, Screening, and Quarry Operations
When your business involves crushing rock, processing gravel, screening aggregates, or running quarry equipment, power reliability isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity. One unexpected outage can grind production to a halt, cause expensive equipment damage, and delay critical project timelines.
At American Energy Solutions, we specialize in delivering rugged, high-performance backup power systems for aggregate producers, from mobile crushing fleets to fixed rock processing plants. This in-depth guide will help your aggregate business choose the right backup generator system, ensuring your operation keeps moving — no matter what the grid is doing.
⚡ Why Aggregate Plants Need Reliable Backup Generators
Power instability at a mine site, quarry, or aggregate yard can result in:
Lost productivity and missed deadlines
Downed crushing and screening equipment
Spoiled material and material handling delays
Damaged motors, conveyors, or control panels
Expensive repair costs and lost contracts
Whether you operate a stationary rock quarry or a mobile jaw crusher fleet, having a properly sized, emissions-compliant, and rugged generator system is essential.
🏗️ How to Choose the Best Backup Generator for Aggregate Applications
✅ 1. Know Your Application Type
Not all aggregate operations are created equal. Backup power system requirements vary by application:
Operation Type
Recommended Generator Size
Key Requirements
Mobile Crushers & Screens
100kW – 400kW
Towable, rugged, portable
Stationary Aggregate Plant
500kW – 2000kW+
Continuous power, fuel storage
Quarry Loadout Facilities
150kW – 600kW
Fast response, ATS integration
Remote Mine Sites
300kW – 4000kW
Prime power-rated, off-grid capable
Let AES, Inc. help you calculate your total load including crushers, conveyors, feeders, pumps, and automation systems to determine the ideal generator size for your aggregate site.
✅ 2. Select the Right Fuel Type
Diesel generators dominate in the aggregate industry for good reason:
⛽ High torque performance for heavy machinery
⛽ Fuel availability at remote sites
⛽ Extended run time for long shifts
⛽ Easy serviceability in rugged conditions
We offer Tier 2 and Tier 4 Final Caterpillar diesel generator sets that meet EPA and CARB emissions standards without sacrificing power.
For urban or emissions-restricted operations, we also supply natural gas generator sets that deliver quiet, cleaner performance.
✅ 3. Portability for Mobile Crushing & Screening Fleets
If your team works in mobile operations — moving from pit to pit or site to site — you need:
🟩 Trailer-mounted Caterpillar generators
🟩 Skid-mounted power units for containerized transport
🟩 Rapid-start systems for field deployment
🟩 Integrated fork pockets and lifting lugs for mobility
American Energy Solutions stocks a huge inventory of mobile diesel generators from 100kW to 2000kW — ideal for keeping mobile aggregate operations up and running.
✅ 4. Weather & Dust Protection
Aggregate sites are dusty, dirty, and exposed to the elements. Your backup generator must be housed in a rugged enclosure that resists:
🔸 Dust infiltration from crushing/screening
🔸 Water ingress from rain or washdowns
🔸 Vibration and shock from nearby heavy equipment
🔸 Extreme temperatures in remote or arid regions
AES provides sound-attenuated, weather-resistant enclosures to protect your investment and keep power systems running in the harshest conditions.
✅ 5. Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) & Load Prioritization
An ATS ensures your aggregate operation doesn’t skip a beat during an outage. It:
Instantly senses utility power loss
Starts the backup generator
Transfers power to critical crushing and screening equipment
Keeps pumps and conveyors in operation
We also offer load shedding and load management controls, so you can prioritize critical systems if running at limited generator capacity.
🔋 Why Caterpillar Generators Are Perfect for Aggregate Industry Use
When uptime is non-negotiable, aggregate companies trust Caterpillar industrial generators. Built for high-load, continuous-duty applications, CAT gensets are engineered for the demanding environments found at:
🪨 Rock quarries
🏔️ Mountain mines
🏗️ Gravel pits
🛠️ On-site concrete plants
🚧 Remote construction aggregate yards
American Energy Solutions maintains an extensive inventory of used, low-hour Caterpillar diesel generators from 20kW up to 4000kW, ready for immediate delivery.
We offer:
🟧 Fully tested, inspected, and commissioned units
🟧 Emissions-compliant Tier 4 Final and Tier 2 units
🟧 Fuel tanks, switchgear, and control panels
🟧 Remote monitoring and fuel level alerts
🟧 Preventative maintenance and support plans
🛠️ Our Turnkey Power Solutions for Aggregate Companies
When you work with AES, you're not just buying a generator — you’re gaining a partner in your operational success. We offer full-service power solutions designed specifically for the aggregate, mining, and crushing industry, including:
✅ Load sizing and generator selection
✅ ATS and load center configuration
✅ On-site delivery and installation
✅ Emissions compliance for EPA and CARB
✅ 24/7 emergency support and mobile service
✅ Preventative maintenance agreements
🧱 Real-World Example: Powering a Crushing Operation in Texas
A leading aggregate company in Texas needed a rugged, mobile power source for a trailer-mounted jaw crusher and screen plant. AES delivered a 500kW Caterpillar diesel generator, equipped with:
- Heavy-duty skid mount
- 1,000-gallon fuel tank
- Custom output breakers for crusher and conveyor
- Dust-proof outdoor-rated enclosure
Result:
✅ 100% uptime across a 3-month crushing project
✅ Fast, field-serviceable deployment
✅ Immediate ROI through avoided downtime
📞 Ready to Power Your Aggregate Operation?
Don’t let grid failures, utility blackouts, or remote locations stall your crushing operation. American Energy Solutions delivers the most dependable backup generator systems for the aggregate and mining industries.
Visit www.americanenergysolutions.com to:
🔋 Browse our inventory of Caterpillar diesel generators
🔍 Request a free power sizing consultation
📞 Talk with a specialist about your aggregate backup power needs
💥 Never Let Downtime Crush Your Profits
With American Energy Solutions, your aggregate business gets more than a backup generator — it gets power you can trust, reliability you can count on, and performance that never quits.