Successful operation of distributed generation systems requires controls that can integrate building load, generator, and grid information in near real time to produce optimal set points for the generator and the HVAC system(s) in the building(s) served by a given generation system. This paper discusses concrete approaches to distributed generation control in commercial buildings in the context of the U.S. utility industry. The various methods of controlling distributed generation are quantified, and an algorithm for optimal control is presented. Several examples using different building types in different geographical regions of the U.S. are used to show how the optimal control provides an economic benefit over a simple threshold control.

Units: I-P