Distributed Energy Resources, or DER, are smaller-scale devices that can either use, generate or store electricity, and form a part of the local distribution system, serving homes and businesses. They include renewable generation, energy storage, electric vehicles, and technology that consumers can use at their premises to manage their electricity demand (e.g. hot water systems, pool pumps or smart appliances).
DER are transforming our electricity system, and while they offer opportunities, they are presenting serious risks to our power system.
The DER Roadmap, released in April 2020, with guidance through to 2025, plans the integration of all distributed energy resources, including solar panels, battery storage and electric vehicles, to ensure the benefits are shared across all members of the community.
The Roadmap was the first major deliverable of the State Government's Energy Transformation Strategy.
Four years on from the original release of the DER Roadmap, the DER Roadmap Third Progress Report has been released by the Minister for Energy. Implementation of the DER Roadmap is in its penultimate year. Key DER Roadmap achievements are summarised below:
- Conclusion of Project Symphony, WA’s flagship VPP pilot. The project’s final report was released by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) in June 2024 and features 18 recommendations to enable the development of VPPs at scale.
- Advancement of the DER Orchestration Roles and Responsibilities program in preparation for the release of a Phase Two Information Paper in the second half of 2024. This work sets-out the foundational requirements and implementation pathways for the Distribution System Operator (DSO), Distribution Market Operator (DMO), and DER Aggregator functions in the South West Interconnected System (SWIS).
- Introduction of new legislation that supports the system integration and eventual market participation of DER:
- Emergency Solar Management (ESM) which launched in 2022, has over 120 megawatts (MW) available for system support and has allowed the development of Synergy’s first aggregation-style product, Solar Rewards.
- Launch of the Smart Connect Solar program which enables Horizon Power to maintain stability of the network while providing customers the opportunity to install solar where they were previously unable to do so.
- Additional investment in community batteries to address network and system constraints through the Australian Government’s Community Batteries for Household Solar program.
- Progression of the Electric Vehicle Action Plan (EVAP) and broader EV integration.
- Roll-out the EV Add On tariff, designed to shift EV charging away from the evening peak and to recognise customer preference for overnight charging.
- Completion of an EV charging behaviour study to better understand how charging can be influenced for improved customer and power system outcomes; and
- Launch of the WA Government’s $15 million Charge Up program designed to encourage the uptake of workplace charging stations.
