Renew On Line (UK) 29a

Extracts from the Jan-Feb 2001 edition of Renew
These extracts only represent about 25% of it

5. Micropower enthusiasm spreads

The last few months have seen the idea of switching over to small scale domestic electricity production catching the imagination of the media, just as the parallel idea of small scale generation by and for companies has been attracting interest from the business community. The launch last June of ABB’s new micropower programme (see Renew 127) and its radical new Windformer wind turbine (see our Technology section), coupled with several other initiatives in this field, set the scene for a flurry of reports and press commentary.

Thus, as we note in our editorial, subsequently the Economist ran a very upbeat cover story on microgeneration (Aug 5th) saying that industry was ‘fizzing with excitement’ about the idea. Then the Guardian followed (Sept 2) with a piece on ‘Home made power’ based on a EA Technology report on the idea of using Stirling Engines as micro Combined Heat and Power plants. EA Technology are backing a 1kW Stirling Engine produced by WhisperTech in New Zealand - the idea being that devices like this could be well matched to domestic consumer demand pattern - which peak for both heat and electricity on winter evenings.

Industrial interest in micropower option of various kinds is growing particularly in the USA, where the reliability of the grid has become a problem of late (see our Editorial and Reviews sections ) for both domestic and business consumers. And the idea could spread worldwide. As Tim Sharp noted in a piece called ‘Logical Outcome: Is distributed generation the end for big power?’ posted on the ElectricNet Web site, with the global market for conventional power now ‘fragmented, volatile - perhaps even jittery’ maybe it was time for business to ‘revisit small is beautiful’,

See http://www.electricnet.com/read/nl20000828/209153

Back in the UK the media found the new Regenesys fuel cell system developed by the National Power offshoot Innogy much to their liking. As we report in our Technology section, Innogy are planning a 15MW unit for a site near Cambridge, designed as a grid back up system.

The Sunday Telegraph (20Aug) waxed lyrical about the commercial potential of this idea, saying it could ‘add more than £1bn to Innogy's market value’ and the Financial Times (Sept 4) noted that efficient storage facilities like this could allow operators ‘to stockpile power when generating conditions were good, allowing it to be sold at anytime during the day. In a less market-orientated environment, for instance in the developing world, it could improve the quality of life for thousands of people.’

It added ‘being able to store electricity could ultimately end the need for a centrally operated national power grid by making smaller distributed generating plants more economic. Village-scale generation stations that would need only a small local network of wires to deliver electricity to the user would then be feasible, missing out the expensive transit charges of the grid which is now the only monopoly-run part of the market.’

The FT also pointed out that Regenesys could transform the economics of alternative clean sources of power such as wind or wave farms. ‘Currently these power sources are at the mercy of the elements, denying them the chance to bid to supply electricity at the most lucrative peak times.’

The new Worldwatch paper (151) ‘Micropower: the next electrical era’ ( see our reviews section) puts all of this in a useful perspective, in effect putting flesh on the ideas originally mapped out by Walter Pattersons seminal Earthscan/RIIA book ‘Transforming Electricity’. As ever, Walt had seen it all coming. But the rapiditity with which the idea seems to have suddenly caught on is a little surprising.

Overall, though, it seems like rebranding the concept of dispersed generation using small scale technology as ‘micropower’ could give a new lease of life to some familiar ideas - with some excellent new technological development giving it all a push forward and renewables at last coming into their own.