The Good, The Bad, and The Other: Public Health and the Future of Distributed Generation

Publication Date: January 2001

Publisher: California Public Interest Research Group. Charitable Trust

Author(s): Kavita Paul; Brad Heavner; Todd R. Campbell; Michelle Renee

Research Area: Energy; Environment

Keywords: distributed generation; energy; public health

Type: Report

Coverage: California

Abstract:

The debate over California's energy future has focused attention on a growing sector of the energy market: distributed generation. As the Air Resources Board establishes standards for distributed generation, it should set strict standards that fully protect human health and the environment, and these standards should be phased in over time to allow manufacturers to prepare for change. New standards should encourage clean technologies such as solar and wind, allow developing technologies such as fuel cells and microturbines to gradually decrease emissions, and prohibit use of the most polluting technologies such as diesel.