How to do decentralized energy

I find myself becoming increasingly interested in the possibilities presented by micro-generation. Jamais over on World Changing points to a recent report from Greenpeace UK, called Decentralising Power: An Energy Revolution For The 21st Century. It suggests the current system in the UK is horribly ineffecient, with 2/3 of the energy power stations generated lost before it reaches the end users.

The report, Decentralising Power: An Energy Revolution For The 21st Century, argues that a reform of the electricity system is urgently needed to end this environmentally destructive wastage - the power sector is the single greatest contributor to carbon dioxide emissions. The solution is to generate electricity close to where it is needed, or 'decentralise' it.

A decentralised energy system would see everyday buildings playing host to devices such as solar panels, small wind turbines and combined heat and power boilers, which generate electricity as well as providing heat and hot water. The electricity created would be used directly by the house or workplace, and the surplus would be fed into a local network. This electricity would then be locally distributed, avoiding the significant loss that occurs when electricity is transported long distances.

The Greenpeace press release points to some decentralized energy trivia.

Since switching to such a system, Woking Borough Council has slashed its emissions of carbon dioxide, the main global warming gas, by almost 80%. And Holland meets 40% of national electricity demand through decentralised energy.

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Comments

[David Rygwalski]

A company called Polar Power has been making micro-cogeneration systems for telecom, military, and small ships large fishing boats for years. They use the exhaust heat 800 to 1200 degrees with an air to air heat exchanger, a 33,000 BTU air conditioner compressor for cooling, a 6kw DC generator, and the engine oil temp and engine cooling fluid to heat domestic hot water. They are super effeicient. Now several new companies have started making these micro-cogeneration systems.
arcandspark

[t]

actually they say that this winter will be much colder than usual---so now there is another possibility

if it is that cold, that means that the water might sink EARLIER (because there is a greater quantity and as it gets colder it might just get dense faster)---which means the circuit might end around like ---georgia---instead of going all the way up to new england---this could get the northern europe and america into an ice age which will then in turn make th cold grow exponentially (no gulf stream up there) which would push the gulf stream into sinking further and further south---it could then go so far south that its pushed back to like the latitude of italy and then remain there for like a long time--

just another scenario. So I guess it could happen this year---I will see how that stats are for cold winters---there were definitely colder winters in the past---but with these increased fresh water in the atlantic because of melting is another variable that a cold winter could like I don't know.

Now that I think about it---it seems more probable that the gulf stream would sink faster and earlier in latitude than just shut down completely by hot water not submerging.

[delta battery]

if it is that cold, that means that the water might sink EARLIER (because there is a greater quantity and as it gets colder it might just get dense faster)---which means the circuit might end around like ---georgia---instead of going all the way up to new england---this could get the northern europe and america into an ice age which will then in turn make th cold grow exponentially (no gulf stream up there) which would push the gulf stream into sinking further and further south---it could then go so far south that its pushed back to like the latitude of italy and then remain there for like a long time