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Distributed Generation: The Good, the Bad and the Other Consumer, Environmental, And Public Health Organizations Call For Tough Standards For Local Power Generators
Citing strong evidence that the proliferation of diesel fueled local power generators undermines public health, advocates across the state today launched a campaign to promote strong state regulation of these home- and business-based energy sources. "Over the next month the California Air Resources Board (CARB) will be finalizing proposed standards for controlling emissions and pollution from small local power generation units," said Kevin Finney, Climate Change Director for the Coalition for Clean Air and Sierra Club Volunteer. "We are working with ten other organizations to make sure those standards protect public health." California is experiencing strong growth in the number of small power generation units located near the point of use - known as Distributed Generation (or "DG") - as homeowners, businesses, and industry look for an alternative or supplement to the statewide power grid. "The Good, the Bad and the Other: Public Health and the Future of Distributed Generation" urges the state to ensure that distributed generation is as clean, or cleaner, than the cleanest central power plant technology. It also recommends that the state set rules and incentives to promote the cleanest energy and enact simple regulations so manufacturers can anticipate changes and comply with new technology requirements. Download the full report. The report was released today in the five California Air Quality Management Districts with the largest numbers of existing back-up generators - South Coast, San Diego County, Sacramento Metropolitan, San Joaquin Valley Unified, and Bay Area. The report was researched and prepared by the Coalition for Clean Air and the California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG). In addition to releasing the report, the campaign will distribute an action alert on the future of distributed generation to more than 100,000 people who are part of the organizations in the coalition. Currently the overwhelming majority of distributed generation units are powered by diesel fuel, which is 131 times more polluting than combined cycle gas power plants. The CARB standards will encourage the transition from polluting local power to cleaner technologies such as solar, wind, natural gas microturbines and fuel cells. "According to the California Air Resources Board, living near a single one-megawatt diesel generator increases lifetime cancer risk by 50%," said Matthew Marguillies, M.D., a retired pulmonologist with Physicians for Social Responsibility. "This is completely consistent with what we know about diesel emissions, which are extremely high in particulate matter - the tiny cancer-causing particles that lodge deep inside your lung tissue," continued Marguillies. "These local power systems operate in our neighborhoods, at construction sites, fairs, and public events, so we must support the development of cleaner and safer alternatives to protect the people close to the generators," said Martin Schlageter, Conservation Coordinator for the Sierra Club, Angeles Chapter. "If an energy user wants to use an advanced, cleaner technology like microturbines, or a non-polluting option like solar or wind, we can all applaud. However, the reality is, too many Californians resort to the dirtiest power sources you can find on the market, dirty diesel generators. It is time for the state to step in," said Schlageter. The effort to clean up pollution from diesel generators and support the expansion of clean distributed generation is supported by other members of the California Clean Distributed Generation Campaign Group including: American Lung Association of California, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Natural Resources Defense Council, Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies, Sierra Club, Environmental Defense, Planning and Conservation League, Center for Environmental Research and Technology, and Latino Issues Forum. Diesel Fast Facts: Diesel exhaust poses major health and environmental hazards. Emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and fine particulate matter from diesel generators is linked to smog, acid rain, respiratory problems, cancer, and increased risk of premature death. The California EPA estimates that 450 out of every million Californians are at risk of developing cancer due to diesel exhaust exposures. The Sierra Club is working to promote clean distributed generation like solar, wind and fuel cells, not dirty, inefficient and poorly regulated diesel generators.
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The debate over California's energy future has focused attention on a growing sector of the energy market. Homeowners and businesses are generating electrical energy near the place it is used as an alternative or supplement to the statewide power grid. Known as distributed generation (DG), this family of technologies holds great promise for locally controlled power generation. But continued reliance on polluting technologies poses a threat to public health.