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Elizabeth Cutright Elizabeth Cutright Distributed Energy Editor

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DE Editor's Blog

December 8th, 2008 10:09am PST

Expecting the Unexpected

Posted By Elizabeth Cutright Comments

POWER-GEN and backup power systems
Last week, I spent some time at the 20th anniversary of POWER-GEN International in Orlando, FL.  While a significant portion of the show is focused on utilities and the grid, when it comes to backup power and emergency systems, distributed energy is where it’s at.  Armed with a complementary tote bag and a reporter’s curiosity, I set out to explore the many exhibitors who’d set up shop to promote their emergency power systems.

Optimism was high, despite the dismal economic news trickling out every evening on CNN.  Many show participants continue to see growth in the onsite power industry – specifically when it comes to backup power systems for hospitals, data centers, and other “mission critical” industries.  There’s also a lot of expectation percolating around the regime change that will take place in January, with many manufacturers expecting an influx of government spending related to infrastructure improvements – some of which will surely contain a “sustainability” component that will dovetail nicely with many onsite power systems.

Some other anticipated areas of growth – according to word on the street (or in this case, the exhibit hall floor) – include standby and confinement operations for the agricultural market, CHP, and landfill to gas.  And, while new construction (both residential and commercial) will probably continue to decline, the anticipated infrastructure improvements are sure to include new wastewater and solid waste facilities – both of which are ripe for onsite power installations.

Overall, everyone participating in POWER-GEN 2009 was excited about new opportunities and emerging technologies, specifically in terms of reliability and distributed energy.  Still, the question remains, does onsite power’s future lie mainly in emergency backup systems, or will it evolve to include a variety of methods to improve energy efficiency and power dependability?

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