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Various reasons exist that have created a market for distributed generation (DG). Due to this new market, utilities and their customers will have to look at power production, and distribution in a different way. Utility customers have the choice, or will soon have the choice via impending industry deregulation, of whether they wish to purchase their power from existing utilities or to use DG resources to fulfill their power requirements. In this process, customers can come together to form a micro grid concept of power production and supply. Depending on the requirements of the consumer group and possibly some legal issues, they may choose either autonomous or non-autonomous operation of the micro grid that supports their energy use. Many DG technologies that exist today will be reviewed, as well as reasons for and pros and cons of their application. Additionally, the micro grid concepts are discussed along with the pros and cons of both concepts.
Cameron Smallwood (Wed,) studied this question.