The importance of distributed generation is also significant
from the environmental point of view:
A proportion of the local electricity demands can be
covered with production from renewable energy generators which
are connected at the distribution network. Moreover, by connecting
distributed generators to the distribution network, the national
electricity grid does not cover anymore these demands and has
more available capacity to accept more renewable energy generators
without reinforcement.
Using more renewable energy there are much less pollutant
emissions to the environment during the production of the electricity
and there is reduction in the use of the fossil fuels which pollute
the air, the water and the soil.
Although, during the generation of electricity from
renewable energy some environmental impacts are created, many
times distributed generation eliminates these impacts. This happens
because with distributed generation, it is possible for the renewable
energy generators to be small sized and the environmental impacts
to be easily controlled. However, an Environmental Impact Assessment
should be prepared and some standards should be followed for every
new installation of renewable energy and especially in areas which
are recognised as nature conservation areas.
Finally, a general environmental benefit from distributed generation is that because
it is usually very near to the demand, the energy
losses during the transmission of the electricity are less
than with the centralised generation. That means energy savings,
less environmental pollution and one step forwards sustainability.