At annual volumes of 100,000 units, microturbines should have costs equal to or better than those of reciprocating engines. The only problem is how to get to those volumes. The answer is to sell microturbines initially for applications where their unique features bring extra value, or for applications difficult or even impossible for other technologies. Microturbines combined with energy storage devices, e.g., batteries or flywheels, will enable a new set of solutions for improved power reliability and quality. Power is not only a matter of kWh but is increasingly a matter of reliability and quality.
Most interruptions occur in the distribution side of the system.
The best solution in many cases is distributed generation, or more correctly, distributed resources. With very low emissions and very low maintenance microturbines hold promise to enable small scale cogeneration. The exhaust heat can be used for hot water heating, absorption cooling, dehumidification, etc. Installing microturbines may be a better alternative. Using the microturbine as a clean and low maintenance onboard battery charger makes it possible to run e.g., a bus for a whole day without any stops for recharging of batteries or swap of batteries.