Microturbine / engine generator technology

Microturbine and engine generator products are electricity-producing assemblies typically located at or near the point of use. They are typically installed so that back-up (standby or emergency) power is available to the user in the event of a utility grid failure. In some installations, these units can be connected in parallel with the local electric utility power grid and used for peak shaving or excess power can be sold back to the utility. In other applications, microturbines and engine generators are located off the grid in rural and remote areas where they provide the sole source of power (prime or continuous), or they operate in combination with other sources such as photovoltaic or wind turbine installations. Internal combustion gasoline, natural gas, propane and diesel engines from the automotive and marine industries have been coupled to rotating field alternator and generator devices for many years. In addition, the turbine engines now being coupled to high-speed generators in microturbine applications are from the same family of small jet engines that have been employed in the military and transportation industries for the past 50 years. These systems are considered to employ the most reliable power producing technologies ever used in stand-alone and distributed systems.