The U.S. Department of Energy-funded project will study and test the feasibility and practicality of integrating new power delivery technology in the current power distribution system.

The three-year project is designed to foster power-grid independence and create a better balance of supply and demand by siting power generation at the place of use.

In the first part of the project, which started today, Rolls-Royce will test and evaluate its grid-interface technology at NextEnergy's microgrid in Detroit's Techtown.

The second part of the project will attempt to find and assess smaller, customer-based generation capabilities. Many businesses and enterprises have back-up power generators ready to fill in during power outages.

The third part will model and test Intentional Islanding, which is considered to be an effective way to provide customers with uninterruptible power by creating smaller “islands” that can easily be powered by one delivery source or another. An “island” can be as small as a subdivision, or a few commercial blocks; or as large as the Northeastern Grid that powers a multi-state area.

“Rolls-Royce Fuel Cell Systems is developing clean, cost-effective, highly-efficient, mega-watt scale fuel cell systems for stationary power generation applications,” said Mark Fleiner, President of Rolls-Royce. “DTE and NextEnergy offered us a unique opportunity to demonstrate novel technology against an electricity grid in a controlled environment and we're pleased to be part of this important project.”

All three parts of the project are now underway and are expected to be completed by 2009.

Rolls-Royce is an England-based maker of power systems for use on sea, land and in the air, and is developing solid-oxide fuel cell systems for megawatt-scale, stationary power generation applications.

DTE Energy is the parent company of Detroit Edison, which provides electricity to 2.2 million customers throughout Southeast Michigan.

NextEnergy is a non-profit business incubation group that specializes in providing entrepreneurial guidance to companies seeking to commercialize high-tech research projects