Full Title: Maximizing the Locational Value of Distributed Energy Resources
Author(s): Alex Eller & Anissa Dehamna
Publisher(s): Navigant Research
Publication Date: March 1, 2017
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
The growth of distributed energy resources (DERs) is one of the most complex and disruptive trends to hit the electric power industry in the past several decades. And it’s only going to get more complex: Navigant Research estimates 130 GW of cumulative DER capacity will be on the U.S. grid by 2021.
DERs encompass a broad set of solutions, including systems and technologies designed to operate closer to customers on the electricity grid. Rapidly expanding investment in DERs represents a major shift away from the centralized, one-way electrical grid that has been the status quo for the past century. Perhaps the most impactful new technology has been the growing distributed solar PV, which has now been installed by 4 percent of U.S. homeowners and has been considered by a further 40 percent. 1 This growth has generated concern and optimism throughout the power industry as regulators and grid operators work to understand the evolving landscape that is redefining the relationship between utilities and their customers.