Fuel-based backup for extended low-generation periods.
Cost
Medium
Upkeep
Seasonal
Skill to build
Intermediate
Lifespan
15-25 years for the engine/alternator with regular maintenance and periodic exercise-running
Embodied carbon
Medium
Space / material use
Medium
Output timing
On-demand/controllable
Skill to repair
Intermediate
Regulation (FR example)
Fixed electrical installations must meet NF C 15-100, and a Consuel certificate is required before a new connection is energised. Grid-connected generation requires an Enedis connection agreement.
Note: Cost, carbon and footprint are rated against the other options for this same need, not in absolute terms.
General backup-generator industry durability consensus
What this page does not tell you
No sizing or quantities: how much a technique yields, and how much a household needs, both depend on the build and the people, so the catalogue compares options rather than dimensioning them. It carries no bill of materials and no build sequence, and it is written for an oceanic, clay-soil climate (Normandy, France). Regulatory notes are indicative and need confirming locally.