The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) is known for its commitment towards rooftop solar power systems, batteries, and smart technologies. But now, they’re stepping up the game even further by opening its DER Register to nationwide consumers. This comes as a bid to further embed household assets into a market that’s destined to become a two-way street in the future.
Australia is on the path to exceeding its target of 3 GW of rooftop solar by the end of 2020. AEMO kickstarted its register recently to provide operators with a realistic way to see the capacity of systems currently connected to the grid.
What is the DER Register?
This kind of overview allows industry bodies to see how systems behave in line with the grid, and how they’re able to respond to extreme weather conditions or power outages.
Electricity networks distributing power – as of March 1 will be required to collect data on any small generators throughout the national market. This will include any installed across Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania.
All data will be collected through processes managed by network service providers and installers. The details will then be supplied to AEMO, and must be handed over within 20 days of any asset going live.
The Register will give AEMO full visibility over installations that are new to the industry, especially across:
- Smart vehicles
- Rooftop solar
- Batter storage solutions
- Smart meters
- Various relevant equipment
- Upgrades to existing solutions.
Why is it so important?
As more Australians invest in the distributed energy network through innovative technologies and devices, it presents a new opportunity to introduce systems that are backed by this kind of data.
Violette Mouchaileh – AEMO’s Executive General Manager of Emerging Markets – said that this is the first crucial step in the process.
“[It creates] an opportunity to develop a world-leading system that harnesses electricity and energy-related services from DER in homes throughout Australia,” Mouchaileh said in a statement released last week.
If the grid is able to manage the amount of power generated by households using solar systems in Australia, then the location and operational capacities of these technologies needs to be upgraded. That includes generation, management of any connected devices and all storage solutions across the board.
The DER provides the first key step in the path to creating a flexible approach. A two-way system is what’s required to utilise the potential of consumer-generated power on a national scale.
All data that’s provided to this body will only further back innovations, allowing us to achieve these goals.
