Feasibility Evaluation of Distributed Energy Generation and Storage for Cost and Reliability Using the 'Worth-Factor' Criterion

The unprecedented growth in the electronic and semiconductor industries, process controlled industries like automobile, textile and paper, in addition to the growing domestic load over the past three decades has imposed severe operational, economic and maintenance constraints on the power utility companies. Service reliability and power quality are the key contributing factors imposing these constraints. Distributed technologies are a potential solution for the current problem but may not be the optimum solution when specific characteristics like the nature of load, desired level of performance, geographical location and the available energy resources at the time instance of operation are considered. This paper describes the feasibility of distributed resources in terms of the ‘worth-factor,’ a criterion that incorporates intangible benefits and translates them in terms of cost.