What is Distributed Generation and how it can meet load Demand

What is Distributed Generation (DG)

Distributed Generation (DG) or sometimes called as on-site generation or decentralized energy sources is a method of generating electrical power at the user end, a typical example of this is electrical generator running through diesel and supplying the house or an apartment, but now a days the definition is slightly changed, the term DG refers to the electrical power generation using Renewable energy as a major source. The energy source could be Solar Panel, small scale wind mill setup, battery energy source, Biomass, Bio gas and geothermal energy if feasible at the location. It depends on the load size that how much capacity of DG is required and depending on the location which energy sources could be utilised in an efficient manner and maintaining the sustainability. If the number of energy sources serving the number of loads then this type of setup if often termed as micro grid or DC grid as the generated power is DC.  

How Distributed Generation is implemented

the setup in the above figure gives a rough idea about Distributed Generation, however it is not as easy as it looks, in this various sources of energy are combined together and putted in the battery storage from where the power can be utilized in a controlled manner, the loads connected to the battery could vary it could be a single house or a group of houses or it could be a small town depending on the load size the number of battery and its size and its location is decided, however battery is must for this type of power generation. Later on this DC power can be converted to AC Power using inverter or DC/AC converter. Remember of Tesla's Powerwall that is power provider to the house load, it is nothing but Lithium ion battery with converters inside, in case of tesla powerwall battery bank could be used in the DG setup.

Why we need Distributed Generation

DG has number of advantages over conventional power generation such as

1. there is a full control on the power by the user on the usage with respect units consumption except one time installation charges.
2. surplus power generated can be fed back to the grid and the user can gain number of units or get money from the power companies, noted that grid synchronization setup is available.
3. DG is CO2 or greenhouse gasses emission free as compared to conventional power generation which increase the global temperature and give rise to global warming.
4. fossil fuel is going to end so we have to decrease the dependency on this, therefore as an alternative DG comes first
5. seeing the increase in population globally there comes more and more demand of electricity, serving the increased loads will overload the present infrastructure, therefore if DG comes load on the Grid can be reduced, such application is called is Virtual transmission line (VTL), along with that locally user can implement DG to limit the use of conventional grid.
6. Reduction in peak power requirements
7. Reduction in transmission and distribution losses
8. Increase in total power generation, thus could be served for more people

Impediments for Distributed Generation

The biggest impediments for any country for the implementation of DG is their capacity to generate renewable energy, countries leading in renewable energy could more easily implement DG than countries struggling with natural resources.

The power companies should encourage the users by providing some certain schemes of purchasing power from user or when they use DG, this benefits the user and the companies as well.

government should run the program that encourages the use of DG or making awareness of the countries power generation capacity and load demand.

Until and unless the setup used for implementation of DG is not cheaper users will not be willing to purchase, government should provide subsidy in such apparatus.

Distributed generation has the ability to meet the load demand if certain requirements are fulfilled, and this is a requirement for the future power generation.

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