ABSTRACT
Distributed generation, consisting of small on-site units, is an effective energy solution under certain conditions and for certain types of customers, particularly those with needs for emergency power, uninterruptible power, or combined heat and power. Traditionally, the type of technologies employed has significantly varied, but usually it is limited to small thermal engines or combustion turbines fueled by diesel, gasoline, or natural gas, and recently intermittent renewable resources such as photovoltaics, wind turbines, or energy-storage units. The economics, characteristics, and location of sustainable energy sources and distributed generation require that these generators be connected into power distribution networks rather than at the transmission level. Combined heat and power (CHP) makes use of the waste heat for either industrial process or space heating, being a well-established way of increasing system overall energy efficiency. Successful development of a micro-CHP system for residential applications has the potential to provide significant benefits to users, customers, manufacturers, and suppliers of such systems and to the nation as a whole. The benefits include significantly increased energy efficiency, reduced fossil fuel consumption, fewer pollutant emissions, and enhanced supply security and economic activities. This chapter identifies the characteristics, applications, strengths, and weaknesses of various distributed generation, renewable energy, and energy storage technologies. Energy storage systems are key technologies for building energy systems, both conventional and alternative energy systems for industrial processes and utility applications. In particular, the extended energy storage applications enable the integration of renewable energy, facilitating the emergence of smarter grids.
