Distributed Energy Resources Electrical Systems: Current status and Future prospective

Abstract

Distributed generation (DG) is an approach that utilizes small scale technologies to generate electricity close to the consumer side. Generally, DG can provide high reliability, high security, low cost electricity, and less environment impact. This paper gives an overview of some of the most significant issues related to the distributed generation (DG). It discusses different aspects of DG, such as definitions, technologies, motivation for moving to DG, some drawbacks associated with the centralized systems which have led to DG. DGs challenges, standards and polices are also presented. In addition, the economic impact and a price comparison between central power plants and DGs are discussed. Also a case study was conducted in order to study the impact of using distributed generations in Edmonton downtown. Three distributed generations, combustion turbine types with 25 MW capacities each have been implemented in Edmonton power system. The total cost estimations have been studied in this case, and the results have revealed that this type of distributed generation is inexpensive and more economic compared with price from the utility. It was estimated from the calculation that the price for the energy is about ¢6.27/kWh while the current electricity price from the utility is ¢8.561/kWh, for long term estimation it is found that the proposed CTs in this project has 11 years for a payback period, after that the project start earning money which is relatively good and wroth investment. The second part of the study analyses the impact of DGs on the system losses using Power-World software, and the result have proven that the loss is significantly decreases when the DG systems are in operation, hence DGs help reducing the costs that associated with the system’s losses.