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It’ll cost you about $0.50 to $3 per hour to run a natural gas generator, depending on the size of your system. For a 10kW generator, you’ll spend about $40 to $50 per day if you run it continuously. The running load of the generator factors into the actual cost rather than its total available output, since it’ll cost slightly less if it’s not working quite as hard. 

You can run most generators between 500 and 3,000 hours continuously. However, it’s often a good idea to shut it down for short periods to let it cool, check the oil levels, and perform any maintenance. Over time, a generator can go through the oil it needs to run smoothly and can also overheat, causing premature failure of the unit. If you need continuous power, you can install two units, running one at a time. 

A natural gas generator's lifespan is 15 to 30 years. However, that number varies quite a bit since it’s more about how often you use the unit, maintenance, and location. A generator along the salty coast environment might rust out in a few years, while a rarely used generator in a dry, moderate climate might last 50 years or more.