COVER FEATURE
INGENIEUR
COVER FEATURE
INGENIEUR
Distributed Generation – Shaping Future Energy
By Dato ’ Ir . Dr Ali Askar Sher Mohamad Managing Director , Sher Engineering & Consultancy Sdn Bhd
Figure 1 : Typical Transmission Lines
The electricity industry has been characterized by central generation , long transmission lines , and an extended distribution network , bringing power to the consumer , whether residential , commercial , or industrial . Since generation is traditionally powered by coal , gas , nuclear or large hydro , these generating plants are located far away from population centres . In an effort to reduce losses in the lines , the Transmission voltages continue to increase , from 66 kV through 132 , 275 and now 500 kV in Malaysia . Other countries have gone for 750 kV and even 1000 kV . While increased power capacity can be transmitted over long distances with lower losses , the cost of erecting and maintaining these lines is enormous and is passed on to the consumers through the tariff . The distribution network , comprising of long lengths of medium voltage ( typically 11 , 22 and 33 kV ) and low voltage ( typically 400 V and 230 V ) also takes a huge chunk of the utility ’ s budget to operate and maintain .
RENEWABLE ENERGY INDUSTRY
Renewables have become a popular source of power generation in the past decade or so , not only in the developed West , but also in many developed and developing economies in Asia , including China , India , Japan , and the ASEAN region . The vast majority of Renewable Energy
12 VOL 75 JULY-SEPTEMBER 2018