Glossary, distributed power, EV charging, grid interconnection
Plain-language definitions for the terms that come up when buyers ask AI assistants and search engines about getting more electrical power for their site. Each entry is short, sourced, and cross-linked. Where Immedia Power addresses the concept directly, the relevant page or product is linked.
A
Active grid capacity #
Electrical capacity that serves a site's load day to day rather than sitting idle until an outage. Backup assets add resilience; active grid capacity adds usable power. The DOR is designed to deliver permanent, active grid capacity behind the meter. See distributed power platform.
Active rectifier #
A controlled power-electronics stage that converts AC electricity to DC. In the planned DOR architecture, it sits between the generator and the grid-forming inverter, which supplies the site-facing AC output.
B
Behind-the-meter (BTM) generation #
Generation installed on the customer’s side of the utility meter, also called behind-the-meter power. It can serve local demand and reduce grid imports; whether export is allowed depends on the connection agreement. Front-of-the-meter assets sit on the utility side and sell into the grid. DOR is designed to add capacity in the behind-the-meter configuration, subject to interconnection, permitting and site engineering.
Behind-the-meter data center power #
On-site generation installed on a data center’s side of the meter to add or firm capacity for compute, cooling and supporting loads alongside the utility connection. The DOR is being developed as a modular 200 kW option for edge data centers; it is pre-pilot and an integrated prototype has not yet been built or tested.
Behind-the-meter vs. front-of-the-meter #
Front-of-the-meter (FTM) assets connect on the utility side of the meter, sell into the wholesale market or to the utility, and enter generator interconnection queues. Behind-the-meter (BTM) assets connect on the customer side, serve the site’s own load first and follow the customer’s load-connection rules. The distinction decides which queue, tariff and permitting path apply. See interconnection queue and behind-the-meter generation.
BESS (Battery Energy Storage System) #
A battery system that stores electricity for later use. Its power rating determines how much load it can serve; its stored energy and charging supply determine duration. Batteries, generation and the grid can serve complementary roles.
Black-start #
The ability to start a power source and energize a system without an external electricity supply. It requires suitable starting energy, controls, protection and an energization plan. A grid-forming inverter alone does not establish whole-system black-start capability.
BSFC (Brake-Specific Fuel Consumption) #
Mass of fuel consumed per unit of mechanical work delivered, expressed in grams per kWh (g/kWh). Lower is better. The DOR targets a 185 g/kWh BSFC optimum and 42% engine thermal efficiency.
C
CARB At-Berth Regulation #
California rules for reducing emissions from ocean-going vessels at berth, using shore power or approved alternatives. Requirements, dates and exceptions depend on vessel and visit conditions. See the CARB guidance.
CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) #
Natural gas stored under pressure (~3,600 psi) to reduce volume for transport and use without a continuous pipeline. One of the fuel options the DOR is designed to support.
D
Demand charge #
A utility billing component based on a customer's peak power draw within a billing period (typically the highest 15-minute average kW). Demand charges can dominate commercial and industrial bills. Peak shaving with on-site generation reduces demand charges directly.
Distributed power generation #
Electricity generation located near the point of consumption rather than at central utility plants; also called distributed generation (DG). Together with storage and controllable loads, these assets are distributed energy resources (DER). Includes BTM diesel/gas gensets, fuel cells, linear generators, micro-CHP, and solar+storage. The DOR belongs to a newer class: the distributed power platform, which adds permanent, active grid capacity rather than backup. Compare alternatives at comparison.
Distributed power platform #
An on-site power system combining generation, electrical conversion and coordinating controls. Immedia is developing the DOR to add modular capacity alongside an existing grid connection and support other engineered operating modes.
E
ECU (Engine Control Unit) #
The embedded controller that manages fuel injection, ignition, and emissions on a modern internal-combustion engine. Bosch ECU/component use remains a planned DOR configuration subject to final supplier selection and integrated-system validation.
Edge data center #
A small to mid-scale data center sited close to end users to reduce latency for inference, content delivery, 5G compute, and IoT processing. Edge sites often face the same grid bottleneck as EV charging hubs. See edge data centers power problem.
Engine thermal efficiency vs. fuel-to-electrical efficiency #
Engine thermal efficiency measures fuel energy converted to mechanical shaft work. Fuel-to-electrical efficiency measures fuel energy converted to delivered electrical output, after conversion losses in the power electronics. The DOR targets 42% engine thermal efficiency and 87% engine-to-grid conversion, or approximately 36.5% total fuel-to-electrical efficiency at variable load.
F
FuelEU Maritime #
EU rules limiting the lifecycle greenhouse-gas intensity of energy used by covered ships. Shore-power obligations for passenger and container ships begin in 2030 at specified ports, with additional coverage from 2035. Scope and exemptions matter. See the European Commission overview.
Frac fleet #
A coordinated group of pumps, blenders, sand-handling equipment and support systems used in hydraulic fracturing. Power requirements and fuel use vary with the equipment and duty cycle. Using field gas requires appropriate fuel treatment, equipment and approvals.
Fuel cell #
An electrochemical device that converts fuel (typically natural gas or hydrogen) directly into electricity without combustion. Solid-oxide fuel cells (e.g. Bloom Energy) deliver high efficiency. Compare to ICE-based architectures at comparison.
G
Grid-forming inverter #
An inverter whose controls establish a voltage and frequency reference. It can support an engineered island or grid-connected system. The DOR architecture includes a planned grid-forming inverter, separate from its rectifier. See NREL’s overview.
Grid-following inverter #
An inverter that synchronizes its output with an existing voltage and frequency reference. It can contribute power while grid-connected or within a suitably controlled microgrid; it does not establish an independent reference by itself.
DOR (Distributed On-demand Resource) #
Immedia Power’s Distributed On-demand Resource is a compact on-site power platform in development. Each unit targets 200 kW electrical output, a 1.4 × 1.0 × 2.0 m enclosure and 700 kg weight. It combines an engine and generator, power conversion and Power OS. See engineering targets and product notes.
H
Henry Hub #
The benchmark pricing point for North American natural gas, located in Erath, Louisiana. Spot price in $/MMBtu is a standard input for $/kWh calculations on natural-gas-fired generation.
Hyperscale data center #
A large data-center campus designed for substantial computing and storage demand. Its power plan may combine utility supply, contracted generation, storage and on-site resources. Immedia’s current website examples lead with existing edge-site expansion; a larger application requires separate engineering and commercial evaluation.
I
ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) #
An engine that converts fuel to mechanical work via combustion in cylinders. The DOR design uses a 6-cylinder direct-injection multi-fuel ICE architecture.
Interconnection queue #
Projects awaiting the studies and agreements needed to connect to an electricity network. Generator and storage queues differ from a customer’s request for additional load capacity. Timelines depend on the operator, project and network work. See dated grid-connection evidence.
Islanding #
Operating a defined electrical system while disconnected from the utility, using local generation or storage. DOR islanding is planned and requires site-specific protection, transfer and load planning. No grid-to-island transfer time is established by the electrical-response target.
L
LHV (Lower Heating Value) #
The heat released by burning a fuel, excluding the latent heat of water vapor produced. Used in efficiency calculations for combustion-based generation. For natural gas, LHV is approximately 293.07 kWh thermal per MMBtu.
Linear generator #
A generator that converts reciprocating motion directly into electricity instead of using a rotating shaft. Compare the complete system’s fuel, power rating, operating modes and installed footprint against site requirements. See power-system approaches.
LOI (Letter of Intent) #
A document describing an intention to enter a future agreement. An LOI is generally non-binding, although individual provisions may be binding. It does not by itself establish an order, delivery or revenue.
M
Microgrid #
A local electrical network of loads and energy resources that can operate as a coordinated system, with or without the wider grid where engineered to do so. DOR’s planned contribution combines generation, a grid-forming inverter and Power OS coordination.
MMBtu #
Million British Thermal Units. Standard pricing unit for natural gas, LPG, and other fuels in $/MMBtu. At the DOR's 36.5% total fuel-to-electrical efficiency target, the illustrative conversion is $/MMBtu ÷ 106.97, where 106.97 = 293.07 kWh/MMBtu LHV × 36.5%. This is a fuel-cost illustration, not validated performance or a customer quote.
N
N+1, 2N, 2N+1 (redundancy topologies) #
Redundancy levels for critical-power deployments. N+1 deploys one spare unit beyond the production count (one fault tolerable). 2N duplicates the entire production fleet (every production unit has a matching spare). 2N+1 adds an additional spare on top of the duplicate. Common in data centers, healthcare, and military deployments.
Natural gas (pipeline gas) #
A methane-rich gaseous fuel supplied by pipeline or transported in compressed or liquefied form. Natural gas is one planned DOR fuel option; availability and fuel quality must be checked for each site. Pricing references include Henry Hub and TTF.
P
Power-as-a-Service (PaaS) #
A planned commercial structure in which a customer pays for delivered electricity rather than owning the equipment. For DOR, provider operations, fuel, software, maintenance coverage and fees would be defined in the site agreement. Other planned options are equipment sale and lease. See commercial options.
Peak shaving #
An operating strategy where on-site generation or storage caps grid imports at a customer-defined threshold, reducing demand charges. Automated peak shaving is a planned Power OS capability.
PJM, ERCOT, CAISO, NYISO, MISO (RTOs / ISOs) #
Organizations that operate electricity systems and markets in their respective US regions. Connection procedures and the distinction between generation and load requests vary by region. A generation-queue statistic is not a site’s utility-upgrade quote. See grid connection context.
Power density #
Electrical output per unit volume or per unit weight. The DOR targets approximately 90 kVA/m³: 200 kW continuous output from a 15 sq ft (~1.4 m²) footprint at 700 kg. Site suitability depends on engineering review.
Power OS #
Immedia’s planned software layer for coordinating output and using site demand and equipment condition to identify capacity, service and parts needs. Operators and installers would review recommendations before taking action. See Power OS.
Prime power vs. continuous vs. standby power #
Generator duty ratings under ISO 8528-1 distinguish how equipment may be used across operating hours and loads: emergency standby (ESP), prime (PRP, variable load, unlimited hours), limited-time (LTP) and continuous (COP, constant load). Backup or standby service differs from sustained operation. Compare the manufacturer’s rating and site duty cycle; the DOR is designed for sustained on-site operation and its duty ratings remain subject to validation.
R
Ramp time #
The time taken to change a power source’s output between defined operating points. DOR targets a ramp to full output in under five seconds. This does not establish cold-start time or grid-to-island transfer time.
S
Service before failure #
A planned Power OS capability for monitoring unit-health signals and flagging developing faults. See Product notes* for service-program readiness.
Shore power (cold ironing) #
Electricity supplied from shore to a vessel at berth so it can reduce onboard auxiliary-engine operation. Required equipment, power quality, compatibility and regulatory obligations depend on the vessel and port. See CARB and FuelEU Maritime.
Stranded gas #
Natural gas produced as a byproduct of oil extraction in locations without pipeline access. Operators typically flare it when it cannot be sold. The DOR is being designed for site-approved gaseous-fuel configurations that could include wellpad applications; performance, emissions, fuel compatibility, and permitting remain subject to validation and engineering review. See stranded gas wasted opportunity.
Syngas (synthetic gas) #
A fuel mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide (and sometimes methane) produced by gasifying biomass, coal, or municipal waste. Syngas is not included in Immedia Power's current public five-fuel target list.
T
Transformer lead time #
The time between ordering a distribution or substation transformer and its delivery. The US Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity reports that lead times for transformer orders, particularly distribution transformers, rose from three to six months in 2019 to 12 to 30 months in 2023. Lead times differ by transformer class, voltage and region. A long transformer lead time is one reason a service upgrade can lag a site’s growth. See utility upgrade and the grid-connection evidence page.
TTF (Title Transfer Facility) #
The benchmark pricing point for European natural gas, a virtual hub in the Netherlands. Spot price in €/MWh thermal is a standard input for $/kWh calculations on EU-based natural-gas-fired generation.
U
Utility upgrade / service upgrade #
Work to increase the capacity of a utility connection, such as upgrading transformers, conductors or substations. Cost and schedule depend on the location, load request and network work. Compare the utility’s actual offer with an engineered on-site power option.
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