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Concept
Microgeneration
Summary
Microgeneration is the small-scale production of heat or electric power from a "low carbon source," as an alternative or supplement to traditional centralized grid-connected power.
Microgeneration technologies include small-scale wind turbines, micro hydro, solar PV systems, microbial fuel cells, ground source heat pumps, and micro combined heat and power installations. These technologies are often combined to form a hybrid power solution that can offer superior performance and lower cost than a system based on one generator.
In the United States, Microgeneration had its roots in the 1973 oil crisis and the Yom Kippur War which prompted innovation.
on June 20, 1979, 32 solar panels were installed at the White House. The solar cells were dismantled 7 years later during the Reagan administration.
The use of Solar water heating dates back before 1900 with "the first practical solar cell being developed by Bell Labs in 1954." The "University of Delaware is credited with creating one of the first solar buildings, “Solar One,” in 1973. The construction ran on a combination of solar thermal and solar photovoltaic power. The building didn't use solar panels; instead, solar was integrated into the rooftop."
In addition to the electricity production plant (e.g. wind turbine and solar panel), infrastructure for energy storage and power conversion and a hook-up to the regular electricity grid is usually needed and/or foreseen. Although a hookup to the regular electricity grid is not essential, it helps to decrease costs by allowing financial recompensation schemes. In the developing world however, the start-up cost for this equipment is generally too high, thus leaving no choice but to opt for alternative set-ups.
The whole of the equipment required to set up a working system and for an off-the-grid generation and/or a hook up to the electricity grid herefore is termed a balance of system and is composed of the following parts with PV-systems:
A major issue with off-grid solar and wind systems is that the power is often needed when the sun is not shining or when the wind is calm, this is generally not required for purely grid-connected systems:
a series of deep cycle, stationary or sealed maintenance free batteries (the most common solution)
or other means of energy storage (e.
Official source
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