Distributed Energy Resources (DER) are growing rapidly in the National Electricity Market (NEM), driven by increased consumer awareness and customer uptake. The AEMO DER program has been set up to help address the market opportunities and technical and operational challenges that increasing amounts of distributed resources are having on the NEM.

DER can refer to distribution level resources, which produce electricity or actively manage consumer demand e.g. solar rooftop PV systems, batteries, and demand response like hot water systems, pool pumps, smart appliances and air conditioning control. Increasingly, we recognise that these resources will be aggregated and actively managed. While these resources are located within the distribution network, there are system wide opportunities and challenges.

AEMO will be utilising partnerships and pilot programs to learn more about distributed energy market frameworks, new operational processes, technical standards and data required to get the best outcomes for customers.

The first partnership AEMO is announcing is with the Energy Networks Australia (ENA).  We have worked with the ENA to co-author a consultation paper entitled Optimising the consumer based power network. The paper explores the opportunities that optimising distributed energy resources in a coordinated way in the distribution network and in the wholesale market will bring.  

• Open Energy Networks; a consultation on how best to transition to a two way grid that allows better integration of Distributed Energy Resources (2 MB, pdf)

For enquiries please contact derprogram@aemo.com.au