Distributed Generation Technologies: A Sustainable Energy Solution

Professor Saifur Rahman
Advanced Research Institute
Virginia Tech

This seminar focused on the opportunities provided by renewable energy-based distributed generation technologies to meet the challenges of a sustainable energy system. It looks at the present and future of coal, oil and gas-based central station generation and the remaining life of these fuel sources. It then explores the renewable energy technologies like solar, wind, hydro and geothermal, as well as some high-efficiency technologies like the fuel cell power plant. It provides a detailed history of the growth of wind energy throughout the world during the 1990's, and traces the cost, size and country-specific penetration issues of wind energy. In that regard the paper looks at the situation in Germany, United States, Denmark, India and Spain. The market penetration and energy cost issues as well as environmental concerns from renewable energy technologies (like hydropower) are explored. The author is of the opinion that solar, wind, selected hydro, and some form of nuclear power will be the main sources of electricity several decades from now, while distributed energy technologies will provide a greater share of electricity generation.

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