Embedded Power Generation, a system of
generating power off the main grid and
connecting it to an existing distribution
network is the new drive being taken by the
Power Distribution Companies ( DisCos ) as
they seek to improve the deteriorating power
situation in the country. The wisdom of this
new action thrust and how it suits the
realities of the country ’ s power sector at
this point in time needs to be put on the
spotlight.

Following the much hailed privatization of
the state owned Power Holding Company of
Nigeria ( PHCN) last November and the
unexpected turn of events ( the worsening
power situation in the country ) , the various
distribution companies across the country
( who incidentally are the last link in the
power value chain ) have been forced to
make a sharp turn from the proposed grid
power generation improvement and search
for ‘quick- fix’ solutions to the nation’ s power
challenges.

The search for quick solutions to the
worsening power situation by the distribution
companies probably out of the lure of profit
from an improved business turnover or
patriotic zeal has led some of the
distribution companies to evaluate and
assess various short -termed approaches that
could improve the power situation in the
country. One of such ‘quick- fix’ approach
selected by some of the distribution
companies to solve the power shortage
challenge is Embedded Power Systems .
Embedded power generation system also
referred to as Distributed Generation
systems in some cases is a situation
whereby a connection of modular generators
is connected to a whole or a section of a
distribution network on a dedicated grid -
based power system. The modular
generators that make up the embedded
power system can employ any of the various
power generation technologies available
( diesel , fuel oils , solar , wind , biomass , crude
oil and small hydro ) and can be made to
generate any quantity of electrical power as
may be desired by the operators.

Embedded Power Systems is a proven
means of providing stable and dedicated
power to a localized area, local government ,
region, privileged customers or strategic
facilities that require constant and stable
supply of electricity . This power system is
also deployed in military bases , research
stations and other outstations located in
areas where the reliability of grid based
power is questionable due to adverse
weather or other unforeseen reasons .
The decision to deploy Embedded Power
Systems by the Distribution companies has
been fueled by the increasing need to find
solution to the poor state of the nation’ s
power sector which has been be -deviled by a
collection of various factors that inhibits the
amount of power being generated by the
generation plants and companies across the
country. These factors range from the
shortage of gas to fuel the power plants to
the activities of vandals across the
transmission and distribution chains affect
the profitability and continued sustainability
of the new power firms and investors .
As recently announced by the Eko
Distribution Company which operates in
parts of Lagos, their decision to adopt this
means of improving power available for
distribution is supported by favourable
feasibility studies as well as the
practicability of the process . Their decision
to embark on the project is also aided by
the fact that the company is supplied an
average of 240MW for distribution which is a
far cry from their distributive capacity of
750MW . On a larger scale, it is clear that all
the Distribution Companies ( DisCos) across
the country have the capacity to distribute
well in excess of 10 ,000 MW of electricity
while the daily average power being
generated in the country for some months
now has barely risen above 3, 500 MW . It is
believed that going ahead with this decision
will guarantee sustenance of their
investment in the power sector .

Embedded Power Systems has a lot of
advantages prominent among which include
reduced power losses , the ability to co-
generate and establishment of micro- grids.
All these advantages point at the flexibility
and versatility of the embedded power
systems. In embedded power systems,
power losses are reduced to the barest
minimum as the power generated is only
transmitted over a relatively short distance
and reduces power losses due to
transmission. Also the reduced number of
transformers on the network reduces power
losses due to Eddy or Joule effects.
Embedded power systems also make co-
generation a possible feat . The nature of co-
generation that could be achieved usually
depends on the needs of the local
community/surrounding . For instance , an
embedded power plant near a residential
community could employ its hot exhaust to
support a localized heating/cooling unit while
it could be used in industrial environments to
power heaters , boilers , spray -dryers or
absorptive chillers .

Embedded Power systems also support the
establishment of micro- grid networks . This
is usually a network of smaller power
stations ( usually within 5- 20 MW covering
30-50 km radii ) that can be synchronized to a
central macro -grid . Each of this micro -grid
functions autonomously while being
controlled centrally and can be maintained
online real -time without affecting the
performance of other micro- grids on the
macro- grid .

The economies of scale of large central
grids which comes from building large power
plants to transmit power across a country
have continued to reduce owing to the
reducing cost of providing power through
integrated generation technologies into
populated cluster areas and the ability to
mass produce this embedded power systems
that are smaller in size and scale and highly
versatile .

Embedded Power Generation systems also
come with its own challenges which is most
pronounced in the integration phase with the
existing Central Grid . In adopting embedded
power systems into the distribution network,
a lot of technical, economic and
environmental considerations have to be
made prominent among which are the
feasibility studies , cost analysis and the
preferred generation technology. Various
qualities of the embedded power generated
such as frequency , reliability , voltage
stability and the behaviour of protective
devices usually differ from that of the grid
based power and pose great technical
problems to the distribution network.
In order to solve this challenge , smart grid
functions as well as various regulative/
protective devices have to be put in place .
All of these considerations are geared
towards ensuring that the system to be
deployed meets the condition of grid parity,
cost factor and power losses and aid a
seamless integration of the embedded power
system to the main central grid .

In developed climes around the world where
Embedded Power Systems are deployed,
researches on the comparison of both
Embedded Power Systems and Central Grids
have been embarked upon and a large
number of the researches favour increasing
the capacity of embedded power systems in
their various electricity network while
optimizing running and maintenance costs
by selecting generation techniques that are
cheaper and more fuel efficient.

Localizing the outcomes of these researches
presents the country with more opportunity
of utilizing its natural gas reserves and with
the strategies of some local oil and gas
firms involved in the distributions of natural
gas which is devoid of vandals activities , the
country’ s power sector will witness
increased growth.

These benefits of embedded power systems
are much needed in the country today in
industrial cluster zones that are in dire need
of power for sustained financial and
developmental growth and also in the quick
delivery of electricity infrastructure to the
rural areas under the various rural
electrification schemes .

The continued inability of both the
government and the power firms to tackle
the challenges causing delays in attaining
the various milestones set in the country ’ s
power sector has necessitated the
deployment of Embedded Power Systems by
the Distribution companies .

If on full deployment of this approach to the
nation’s power network all the aforesaid
benefits are derived , then this decision by
the Distribution Companies ( DisCos) would
indeed be a wise turn on the nation’ s path to
Industrial growth.


go.engineer-ng.net/m/blogpost?id=6404812%3ABlogPost%3A81716

This is an intelligent one.

iyen na nice