Distributed Generation - Stranded Gas Well Technology

The nation's electricity delivery system is straining to meet the escalating demand for power. Consumers in some regions are facing periodic rolling blackouts, and businesses throughout the country are not getting the reliable, high-quality power they need. There are two problems at the root of the current power crunch. First, there is insufficient generating capacity to meet peak electricity demand in some parts of the country, such as California. Second, the existing power transmission and distribution grid is aging and cannot carry all of the electricity needed by consumers.

Distributed Energy Resources, or DER. DER means using smaller power generators, energy storage devices, and energy efficiency measures throughout the electricity distribution grid to improve its reliability. Installing DER at or near the point of energy use reduces the demand on central power plants and can avoid the need to upgrade transmission and distribution lines to handle additional power requirements. ... Distributed generation is highly flexible -- small, modular generators can be added in increments as the demand for power grows. And, as they typically rely on natural gas or renewable resources instead of coal, distributed generators can also be quieter and less polluting than large power plants, making them suitable for on-site installation.

Most distributed power generators — including fuel cells and microturbines — run on natural gas, the cleanest fossil-fuel technology. In areas where natural gas is available through pipelines, gas-fueled generators can produce electricity whenever it is needed.

Some distributed generators use renewable resources like the sun and wind to produce electricity. Renewable energy is the cleanest generating technology of all, but many systems produce electricity only intermittently -- when the wind blows or the sun shines. It also provides fuel diversity benefits and, in the case of solar and wind power, zero costs for fuel.

Other distributed power plants use a combination of renewable- and fossil-fuel-driven generators, such as wind or solar systems together with a diesel generator. Such hybrid power systems compensate for the intermittency of renewable resources by using the fossil-fuel generator for backup power. Combined heat & power systems make the most efficient use of energy resources. Such systems, which make productive use of the heat generated during the production of electricity, operate at 70%-80% efficiency, compared to the roughly 30% efficiency achieved by power-generating systems alone.

Energy storage devices — primarily lead-acid batteries — are used for load following and as an instantly available backup power supply. They can be used to overcome the intermittency of wind and solar energy resources, and also make it possible to use electricity produced during periods of low demand, such as during the night, to meet peak daytime demands.

DER also requires the safe and reliable integration of energy generation and storage systems with each other and with the electricity grid. Related technologies include specialized devices for connecting small generating plants to the power grid, and for controlling the operation of electrical generators and equipment.

Another way to ease the burden on the power grid is to reduce the overall demand for electricity by using various pricing strategies and load reduction technologies. These include real-time pricing, demand-side bidding, on-site generation, thermally activated cooling, and passive solar building designs as well as devices such as energy-efficient light bulbs, geothermal heat pumps, and solar hot water systems.

Greater adoption of DER technologies benefits the industrial, commercial, institutional, and residential sectors of the economy by providing reliable, high-quality electrical power for all.