Distributed Generation Program

This page last reviewed April 15, 2008

Overview

On November 15, 2001, the Air Resources Board (ARB or Board) adopted a regulation that established a distributed generation (DG) certification program as required by Senate Bill 1298 (chaptered September 2000). The DG certification program requires manufacturers of electrical generation technologies that are exempt from district permit requirements to certify their technologies to specific emission standards before they can be sold in California. These technologies include microturbines and fuel cells. Amendments to the Distributed Generation Certification regulation were adopted by the Board on October 19, 2006, and became effective on September 7, 2007.

Previous public meetings related to the development of the amendments

Certification Application

If you are a manufacturer of a permit-exempt electrical generation technology and are interested in DG certification, please contact Jeff Doll at (916) 324-0343 or jdoll@arb.ca.gov. For DG Certification application froms, please click below.

DG Certification Regulation

The current applicable DG emission standards can be found in Section 94203; Table 2 for Fossil Fuel Standards and Table 3 for Waste Gas Standards

DG certification application form
DG certification evaluation tool (used by staff to verify emissions data)

Electrical Generation Technologies Guidance Document

SB 1298 also required the ARB to develope guidance for electrical generation technologies that are subject to district permits. These technologies include larger turbines and reciprocating engines. The purpose of the guidance is to assist the districts in making permitting decisions for these types of technologies. The guidance includes recommended Best Available Control Technology (BACT) levels and suggested permit conditions.

Guidelines	(PDF - 204 K, 60 pages)
Appendix A	California Senate Bill 1298 (Bowen and Peace) (PDF - 11 K, 4 pages)
Appendix B	Supporting Material for Best Available Control Technology (BACT) Review for Electrical Generation Technologies (PDF, 37 pages)
Appendix C	Procedure for Converting Emission Data to lb/MW-hr (PDF - 8 K, 2 pages)
Appendix D	Quantifying Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Benefits (PDF - 9 K, 3 pages)
Appendix E	Sample Permit Conditions (PDF - 8 K, 2 pages)

Contacts

For more information regarding the Distributed Generation Certification Program, please contact Jeff Doll at (916) 324-0343