Microturbines, and fuel cells in particular, are newer and have a greater opportunity for disruption.
Micropower technologies, ranging from fuel cells to microturbines to small natural-gas plants, are taking off.
Microturbines provide high electrical efficiency compared with traditional gas turbines in the same size class.
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Microturbines are usually installed to supplement power from the grid, not replace it.
As gas prices go up, the efficiency of fuel cells and microturbines will also have to rise for them to remain competitive.
Microturbines can run on natural gas as well as other fuels, including kerosene and the methane given off by landfills and sewage-treatment plants.
Dramatic advances in technologies such as fuel cells and microturbines, which generate power efficiently and cleanly on a smaller scale, may make up the shortfall.
Note that microturbines offer the highest electrical efficiency, up to about 5 MW, which is the size of the first traditional gas turbine offered in a recuperated model.
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The Jaguar, with two electric motors and a supercharged 1.6-liter gas engine (the show car version actually uses two microturbines) can manage more than 30 miles on the batteries.
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Contrary to what many people may expect, most of these technologies, which include microturbines, fuel cells and high-efficiency cogeneration, rely on fossil fuels rather than renewable-energy resources like wind or solar energy.
Moreover, smaller, more powerful generators and microturbines (mini- jet engines that are fueled by natural gas) are being developed that will skip existing power grids altogether, or be new sources of power to others.
Moreover, smaller, more powerful generators and microturbines (mini jet engines that are fueled by natural gas) are being developed that will skip existing power grids altogether, or be new sources of power to others.
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