Generators can keep operations humming.

It goes without saying that a natural disaster--a hurricane, tornado, lightning strike, etc.--can potentially wreak havoc with business operations. Couple that with the apparent fragility of the power grid, evidenced by a massive blackout in the Northeast a couple of years ago, and having a backup power source starts making a lot of sense.

The impact of losing power for extended periods ranges by industry, of course. For a services firm, it's an inconvenience when clients can't reach you or your website goes down. For a food services firm that loses refrigeration in a warm climate, the losses could be devastating--especially if the business isn't adequately insured.

If the area has experienced a major storm, customers are probably aware that there could be service disruptions. "But it could just be that a telephone pole was knocked out down the street" and customers wouldn't know that, notes Eric Johnston, senior vice president for Americas Generators, a supplier of mobile and portable generators based outside Miami.

The return on investment for a backup generator could be huge, Johnston says. His privately held firm, which has been in business about 15 years, stocks generators--mostly diesel-powered--ranging in size from 20 kilowatts to 2,000 kilowatts, and sells them around the world. Costs generally range from around $10,000 up to as much as $300,000.

To put those sizes in perspective, Johnston says that the smallest unit would run a small office and the largest might run a medical center. They can be either permanent or mobile, he adds, and are set up to turn on within 10 to 30 seconds of the main power shutting off.

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The generator units usually last 20 to 30 years and can be leased as well as purchased, Johnston says. Companies generally contract with local suppliers to top off the tanks as needed, he adds, but most units have at least 48 hours of runtime in the event of an emergency.