Generación distribuida

Analysis of the Prospects for Distributed
Generation (DG) for Colombian Electric Power
Sector
Abstract: The main aim of this paper is to
present the results of an analysis of the
prospective for the Distributed Generation (DG)
in the Colombian Electric Power Sector applying
the Delphi Technique. This study helped us
understand the expert’s opinion directly and
systematically on theintroduction of the DG in
fields like: technology, product innovations,
materialization process, effect on the country’s
political and social situation, economic,
technologic and commercial restrictions. The
results of this work are intended to provide
support for the electric and productive sectors to
analyze the feasibility of using the DG in the
medium and long term in Colombia, since itsapplication would have a very strong effect on the
company’s planning and operation activities
regarding electric issues.
Key words: Distributed Generation (DG),
Prospective Analysis, Delphi Method.
I. INTRODUCTION
The DG is the use of small generators with
capacities ranging between 15 and 25,000 kW. to
supply charges located very near the consumption
spots. In the US and Europe, DG hasbecome a
feasible technical and financial solution for the
consumer because it improves the reliability of
the supply and it has become an important
alternative in the concept of reliable electricity.
In most of these countries DG accounts for 10%
of the installed capacity and even in countries
like Holland and Denmark, DG has accounted for
up to 30 or 40% of the total installed capacity.For example by year 2010 in Austria, 78% of its
generation will be based on power from
renewable sources.
The benefits identified in the systems throughout
the world and the international experience in
using technology are a platform to motivate both
the technical community and the business and
academic one in Colombia to investigate the
topic. In Colombia the application of thistechnology in the short term could be directed
towards rural and industrial areas that aren’t
interconnected. Although for the last few years
in our country private industrial developers have
used DG producing and benefiting from useful
electric and thermal power simultaneously from a
primary source, -this technique is known as cogeneration.
This activity is not fully developed
since it began asan independent initiative without
any regulations.
II. CONTENT
A. DISTRIBUTED GENERATION (DG) [1]
DG offers added value solutions to users,
companies providing power and to companies
operating distribution networks, by generation on
site and connected to the net with the following
advantages, among others:
• Reduction of losses in the transmission lines
• Low cost sources to serve demandduring peak
price periods
• Improvement of the electric power’s quality
(wave shape of voltage, frequency, tension
stability, supply of reactive power and correction
of the power factor)
• High reliability sources for sensitive systems
or users who cannot be subject to any power
interruptions
• Reduction of atmospheric discharges
(renewable technologies)
• Generation of the system’sbackup or in the
event of an emergency
• Larger efficiency by using the heat produced
for heating, warming water o for industrial
processes.
DG is an alternative offering a large variety of
uses for the different purchasers like: Co-
Generation, Self-Generation, Emergency
Generation, Parallel Generation, Capacity
Increase and Isolated Generation.
E. Marmolejo,C. Duque, M.T.Torres, G. Ramos,A. Torres
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, University of Los Andes, Bogotá Colombia
2
“The technologic prospective is a process
tending to reach a better understanding of the
forces determining the long term future and
which should be taken into account when
preparing the policies, planning and taking
decisions. The prospective includes qualitative
and quantitative...