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Reasons
Why Businesses Choose DE | How this
Website Can Help
| What
is DE?
Distributed
energy (DE) typically refers to small power generating
systems that are sited close to where the power
is needed.
DE
Systems Commonly Used by Small and Medium Businesses
Solar
- Photovoltaic
(PV) solar arrays for peak load management
- Transportable
systems for off-site needs
Wind
- Well
and water pumping for farms and agricultural
industries
- Electric
battery/storage charging
Microturbines
- Combined
Heat and Power systems for primary power
Advanced
Engines
- Emergency
back-up power generators
- Uninterruptible
power supplies (UPS)
DE
Systems in Development for Businesses
Fuel
cells are still expensive, but analysts predict
that they will soon become practical for home
use, allowing consumers the option of generating
electricity at home with very little environmental
impacts.
Hybrids
using combinations of technologies are becoming
more common for the unique and specialized needs
of business owners.
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Traditionally,
electricity has been generated by large central power
plants, which are typically located a long distance
from the load centers that they support. Large generating
plants are able to capture economies of scale and through
most of the 20th Century met end users' needs reliably
and economically.
In
the 21st Century, shortfalls of power, outages, and
bottlenecks in the transmission network make electricity
from DE an attractive complement to grid-based power
for businesses.
How
DE Can Help Businesses
Electricity
is an important cost factor to businesses. In the computer
age, there are other important considerations, such
as the reliability of power (how frequently outages
occur), quality (the consistent flow and frequency of
power), and flexibility, (ability to "take it with
you" from one site to the next).
DE
can provide a number of benefits to businesses, which
are described below.
Economic
Savings
- Small
manufacturing and building facilities managers can
use DE and take advantage of "waste" heat
by using it to create hot water, steam or chilled
water. This is referred to as Combined Heat and Power
technology or CHP. Through temperature exchangers,
this "waste" heat can also be used to cool
buildings in summer and heat them in winter. The combination
of electricity, heating, and cooling provided by one
on-site unit often results in substantial of savings
to the customer.
- Depending
upon the utility rate plan, for example, where demand
response or time of use metering is allowed, some
businesses are able to use DE to produce lower cost
electricity at precisely the time when electricity
from the grid is most expensive.
- Many
government agencies in the U.S. and Europe offer subsidies
for DE and energy efficiency installations.
Reliability
- Outages,
however brief, can result in significant losses in
normal work or production schedules. Outages cannot
be tolerated when high quality power requirements
are essential for sensitive electronic equipment like
computers, servers, and automated controls.
- Some
businesses, like health care facilities, telecommunications
and Internet firms, and financial institutions, cannot
afford to be without power for any amount of time.
For these businesses, DE technologies that provide
uninterruptible power are essential.
Indirect
Benefits
- Good
corporate citizenship can be a valuable commodity
within the local community, for employees, and for
shareholders. DE technologies that create environmental
benefits can be used by businesses as part of marketing
or public relations campaigns.
- Depending
on particular emissions and efficiency improvements,
facilities employing DE solutions may be recognized
by the U.S. Department of Energy as Energy Star facilities.
This designation can be incorporated into corporate
branding initiatives.
How
Can This Website Help?
This
website has been designed to be a one-stop resource
for all of the different facets of DE technologies.
This section is designed for small and medium business
users. If you are interested in DE
applications for residential needs, click here.
If you are interested in DE
for Institutional or industrial needs, click here.
This site will enable you to:
1.
Become familiar with basic terms used to describe
DE systems, discover the different kinds of DE technologies,
and learn about their pros and cons through DE
overview.
2. Learn specific details about various types of DE
technologies.
3. Understand the environmental
impacts of the different types of DE technologies.
4. Gain an overview of the regulatory
and policy issues that impact the use of DE technologies.
5. Identify the basic economic
drivers to see if DE makes sense for you now or in
the future.
6. Use the DE Forum's unique DE
Calculator to identify the best solutions for
your specific needs.
7. Determine the definition of a term you are unfamiliar
with using the glossary located at the Reference
Desk.
8. Seek specific answers to your questions through
the Discussion
Forum, which allows you to present new questions
or view answers to previous questions.
9. If you still have questions, please use Contact
Us to reach the DE Forum staff.
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