Distributed energy is increasingly being used by utilities and independent companies as a means to meet peak demand and to provide profit in energy, delivery, and ancillary service markets. This report provides an overview of the issues that are driving the use of distributed energy, such as price volatility and summer capacity problems, along with energy users’ needs for ever better power reliability. The report also provides a survey of programs, such as voluntary curtailment programs and standby generator programs, offered by utilities, exchanges, and independent companies that are using distributed generation under a variety of business models. (DE-13; December 2000; 35 pages)