From time to time, customers inquire about how they would put solar panels on the roof of their house or how they can generate their own energy and distribute it through the power grid system.
EPCOR enthusiastically supports customers who want to generate their own power and we want to make the process as easy and safe as possible. Read below to find out more about distributed generation.
What is Distributed Generation?
Distributed generation (or DG) generally refers to small-scale (typically 1 kW – 50 MW) electric power generators that produce electricity at a site close to customers or that are tied to an electric distribution system.
Distributed generators include, but are not limited to synchronous generators, induction generators, reciprocating engines, microturbines (combustion turbines that run on high-energy fossil fuels such as oil, propane, natural gas, gasoline or diesel), combustion gas turbines, fuel cells, solar photovoltaics, and wind turbines.
Applications of Distributed Generating Systems
There are many reasons a customer may choose to install a distributed generator. DG can be used to generate a customer’s entire electricity supply; for peak shaving (generating a portion of a customer’s electricity onsite to reduce the amount of electricity purchased during peak price periods); for standby or emergency generation (as a backup to Wires Owner's power supply); as a green power source (using renewable technology); or for increased reliability. In some remote locations, DG can be less costly as it eliminates the need for expensive construction of distribution and/or transmission lines.
Benefits of Distributed Generating Systems
Distributed Generation:
- Has a lower capital cost because of the small size of the DG (although the investment cost per kVA of a DG can be much higher than that of a large power plant).
- May reduce the need for large infrastructure construction or upgrades because the DG can be constructed at the load location.
- If the DG provides power for local use, it may reduce pressure on distribution and transmission lines.
- With some technologies, produces zero or near-zero pollutant emissions over its useful life (not taking into consideration pollutant emissions over the entire product lifecycle ie. pollution produced during the manufacturing, or after decommissioning of the DG system).
- With some technologies such as solar or wind, it is a form of renewable energy.
- Can increase power reliability as back-up or stand-by power to customers.
- Offers customers a choice in meeting their energy needs.
Challenges associated with Distributed Generating Systems
There are no uniform national interconnection standards addressing safety, power quality and reliability for small distributed generation systems.
- The current process for interconnection is not standardized among provinces.
- Interconnection may involve communication with several different
- organizations
- The environmental regulations and permit process that have been developed forlarger distributed generation projects make some DG projects uneconomical.
- Contractual barriers exist such as liability insurance requirements, fees and charges, and extensive paperwork.