Also known as Distributed Generation

Distributed Energy, or Distributed Generation, is the concept by which many low- to mid-capacity power generation sites provide electrical supplies to a district. Rather than having one central high-capacity plant provide power for a large area with long transmission distances, potentially dangerous emf, and a high risk of catastrophic blackouts, small plants offer communities independence from the wide-area grid, boosting resilliance.

Common technologies for distributed generation include: small-scale wind or run-of-the-river hydro plants, or natural gas single - or combined - cycle plants.

Combined cycle plants have a turbine for firing natural gas. The exhaust (approx 700 F) is then used to boil water, creating steam, which powers another set of turbines. Energy efficiency for this type of combined cycle system is typically around 80%, compared to a single-cycle gasoline engine, which is about 30-40% efficient.