New insights into the potential of the gas microturbine in microgrids and industrial applications

This paper gives a comprehensive insight into gas microturbine (GMT) as a part of microgeneration systems. The gas microturbine is a highly effective source that can operate on various types of fuel, including a low-percentage methane fuel such as biogas or landfill gas. The microturbine is widely used in an industrial, rural and commercial application that can benefit from combined heat and power production as a prime or backup source. A microgrid is a modern way to support decentralised power production. It can operate in off-grid mode or as a tool to stabilise the grid and help with peak-shaving as well as to supply remote areas with generated power. The combination of gas microturbine as a prime mover for the microgrid is a smart solution that can quickly react and implement renewable and new technologies. The GMT can be coupled with solar photovoltaics, wind turbine, fuel cells or combustion engines. Use of these technologies can create a sophisticated, stable and highly effective power system. Based on the findings, the combination of microgrid and gas microturbine is very viable and favourable in terms of efficiency, controllability, stability and variety of applications. This paper provides a survey in the field of gas microturbine, its operation, industrial applications, software for microturbine integration, microgrid operation, and coupling the microgrids with gas microturbines, as well as possible challenges and perspectives for this area of combined power generation.