This State of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Technology Integration Report provides a valuable stocktake of what is needed and where we are in terms of integrating DER technology into the distribution and bulk power systems. Working with key organisations and leaders in their respective fields of this integration challenge, farrierswier was able to bring together all pieces of the technology integration puzzle.

This holistic and collaborative exercise allowed us to identify, label and describe the key aspects of the technology and data needed for effective DER integration. We could then map existing work against this integration framework to test progress and identify interdependencies.

We see this report’s greatest value being the role our DER technology functional framework can play in ongoing sector coordination. We all recognise that DER integration is complex and requires coordinated effort across many technical disciplines, diverse stakeholders, and multiple limbs of government.

Coordination requires common understanding and consistent communication. The framework can help by:

• supporting policy work to be grounded in a robust understanding of the physical systems and data required for DER integration
• enabling proponents of integration initiatives to explain the contributions of their work
• allowing governments and funding bodies to identify capability areas of relative immaturity or critical constraint that warrant greater focus.

Farrierswier is pleased to see this work published. We are grateful to ARENA, our project partner Gridwise Energy Solutions, the industry thought leaders who formed our reference group, and the many DER project proponents who helped us deliver this amid the challenges of 2020. Contact us if you would like to discuss our views on next steps for integration.

Read more and download the report here: State of DER Technology Integration Report – Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)