ESIG Report: Lessons Learned for the U.S. Context: An Assessment of UK and Australian Open Networks Initiatives

Summary:

Prepared by Strategen, this report by the Energy Systems Integration Group’s (ESIG) Distributed Energy Resources Task Force is the second in a series of three reports on DER integration.

Distributed energy resources (DERs)—generation, storage, electric vehicles, and responsive load connected to the distribution system—can provide a range of economic, reliability, and security benefits to electricity systems. Unlocking these benefits, however, requires concerted and coordinated action among electricity regulators, electric distribution companies, bulk power system operators, retailers and other service providers, customers, and equipment manufacturers. ESIG’s report, Lessons Learned for the U.S. Context: An Assessment of UK and Australian Open Networks Initiatives, provides an assessment of recent DER integration initiatives in the UK and Australia, distilling insights that would be instructive for the development of a national initiative around DER integration in the United States.

This report discusses how the successes and challenges of the efforts in Australia and the UK can provide a useful reference for the development of U.S. initiatives on transmission-distribution coordination and DER integration into markets and system operations. Key takeaways are discussed that can inform the development of a U.S. national initiative, including to:

  • Start with a clear statement of purpose and objectives

  • Establish central delivery capability

  • Define and pursue quick wins

  • Prioritize targeted stakeholder engagement

  • Work toward early alignment

  • Develop fit-for-purpose tools

  • Ensure process agility

  • Engage parties who have the authority to effect change

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