a canny carbon calculation, page-3

I like your thinking Timee and I too have no idea! Certainly there's challenges to work through in transitioning from Centralised Energy (which is a very straight-forward system for Utilities to control) to Decentralised Energy (Utilities are trying to figure out how they can still have control over such a setup). But as an absolute, I think this:

http://www.theoildrum.com/files/Paul%205.jpg

will play the biggest role in forcing policy on Decentralised Energy.

The economies-of-scale in EFFICIENCY that can be achieved through Fuel Cells (which produce a constant "base-load" capacity, albeit on small individual scales - per Unit) results in more electricity being produced from less inputs! : ) By comparison, Centralised Energy will become increasingly more expensive & capital intensive to run/maintain. Also "Integrated Distribution" is a more secure system than our existing Centralised Grid, because the dependency is not on 1 coal-fired power station hundreds of Km's away!

http://www.csiro.au/science/Intelligent-Grid.html