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Microgeneration is the generation of zero or low-carbon heat and power by individuals, small businesses and communities to meet their own needs.
Microgeneration technologies include small scale wind turbines, water turbines, ground source heat pumps, solar thermal collectors, solar electricity and MicroCHP installations.
Benefits
Arguments for microgeneration are:
- A significant proprtion of electrical power is lost in the national grid (approximately 8% in the United Kingdom according to BBC Radio 4 Today programme in March 2006). Microgeneration does not incur this loss.
- Microgeneration reduces the transmission capacity requirement of the national grid, avoiding the need for additonal grid upgrades.
- By curbing the rising demand for grid electricity, microgeneration can avert the need for investment in large new power stations.
- Microgeneration can result in low or zero energy costs, particularly if surplus electricity can be sold to the national grid.
Bringing energy generation closer to the consumer by means of microgeneration may have the further benefits of:
- Allowing individuals concerned about climate change to directly lower their carbon output.
- Helping to overcome the antagonism of a minority towards large-scale renewable energy installations such as windfarms.
Responsibility for climate change
Microgeneration impacts the debate as to who should act to address climate change. Should it only be governments or should it also be individuals? Some argue that people's energy and time should be focussed, through political action, to make governments take responsibility for addressing climate change. Others argue that individuals acting on their own behalf is morally more integrated and also practically more productive.
Government policy
There is considerable resistance to microgeneration from many governments, local authorities and energy companies. Current incentives discourage energy suppliers and grid operators from bringing energy generation to the point of demand.
Policy-makers are accustomed to an energy system based on big, centralised projects like nuclear or gas-fired power stations, and it will require a change of mindsets and incentives to bring microgeneration into the mainstream. Planning regulations may also require streamlining to facilitate the retrofitting of microgenerating facilities onto homes and buildings.
A number of countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany and USA have laws allowing microgenerated electricity to be sold into the national grid.
United Kingdom
The UK Government published its Microgeneration Strategy in March 2006. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) also launched the Low Carbon Buildings Programme in April 2006, which provides grants to individuals, communities and businesses wishing to invest in microgenerating technologies.Prominent British Politicians who have announced they are fitting microgenerating facilities to their homes include the Conservative party leader, David Cameron, and the Labour Energy Minister, Malcolm Wicks.
See also
External links
- DTI pages on microgeneration
- The DTIs Low Carbon Buildings Programme
- Micropower Council
- The Green Alliance's Microgeneration Manifesto
- "Our Energy Challenge, Securing Clean and Affordable Energy for the Long Term" (a document by the DTI). http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file25079.pdf
"Microgeneration"