On the heels of last week’s power outages in the northern partsof the state, Southern California Gas Monday stepped up its push ofnatural gas-fired micro-turbines for small and medium-sizebusinesses as an alternative to grid-dependent electrical supplies.

SoCalGas announced that “in the near future” it will demonstratemicro-turbines made by large firms such as Honeywell,Ingersoll-Rand and Turbec (ABB/Volvo).

In its news announcement, the nation’s largest gas distributorpredicted “a mature market” of up to 9,000 micro-turbines inSouthern California alone over the next three to five years, citingthe technology’s low capital and maintenance costs as well as lowemissions.

SoCal said it currently is operating a gas-powered micro-turbineby Capstone Turbine Corp., Woodland Hills, CA at its EnergyResource Center, Downey, CA, which is a 45,000-square-footmarketing and technology center in which the 28-kW unit providespart of the electricity load and provides waste heat to drive two,two-ton absorption chillers. This is the first of what may beseveral installations by the giant gas utility, according to aCapstone spokesperson.

Prospective micro-turbine customers are being directed by SoCalto its energy center. The utility intends “to enable themicro-turbine market and educate customers on technology choicesthat provide the most efficient, cost-effective and reliable energyavailable.”

In California, some of the non-utility merchant power plantdeveloper/operators are targeting the power-intensive high techindustries to sell back-up generation that can operateindependently or be connected to the grid. Last week’s outagesprovide a further opening to market alternatives to traditionalutility-driven grid-connected electric services.

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