Distributed power generation in the United States

With electricity consumption increasing within the United States, new paradigms of delivering electricity are required in order to meet demand. One promising option is the increased use of distributed power generation. Already a growing percentage of electricity generation, distributed generation locates the power plant physically close to the consumer, avoiding transmission and distribution losses as well as providing the possibility of combined heat and power. Despite the efficiency gains possible, regulators and utilities have been reluctant to implement distributed generation, creating numerous technical, regulatory, and business barriers. Certain governments, most notable California, are making concerted efforts to overcome these barriers in order to ensure distributed generation plays a part as the country meets demand while shifting to cleaner sources of energy. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.