Distributed Energy Resources

Introduction and purpose

Growing volumes of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) are connecting to the provincial grid. The concept of DER, from the AESO’s perspective, includes any distribution-connected resource that can potentially supply energy onto the Alberta Interconnected Electric System (AIES). This includes resources such as residential solar panels, electric vehicles, home battery storage, distribution-connected generation, or distribution-connected energy storage of any type.

The AESO published a DER Roadmap in June 2020 which outlines a plan for a future state that is characterized by a higher penetration of DER. The activities within the DER Roadmap include evaluating the potential impacts to:

• AIES reliability Alberta electricity markets
• Independent System Operator (ISO) tariff
• Price signals 

The AESO intends to provide additional clarity to stakeholders by developing or updating a series of documents called AESO DER Roadmap Integration Papers, which relate to the DER Roadmap and the various DER Roadmap integration activities. To review the papers, click here.

DER Roadmap integration activities

The AESO is providing stakeholders with an updated version of the 2021 Plan for DER Roadmap Integration Activities that it intends to progress in the remainder of 2021. The intent is to provide stakeholders with a consolidated view of the proposed activities for their information and planning purposes.

The plan should assist stakeholders with identifying activities they may be interested in, such as DER Roadmap progress updates and potential timing of future stakeholder engagement opportunities over the next 12 months, for their planning purposes should they be interested in participating.

Unanticipated findings or learnings could impact the 2021 Plan for DER Roadmap Integration Activities resulting in changes to the proposed schedule or the activities themselves. We will endeavour to keep stakeholders informed of any such changes.

Integration activities currently underway include:

• Distributed Energy Resources Markets Participation
• DER Roadmap Integration Papers

2021 Updated Plan for DER Roadmap Integration Activities Schedule

Click here to enlarge the graphic above  

Stakeholder comments

We value stakeholder input and thank you for sharing your perspectives with us. The DER Roadmap Stakeholder Comment Summary and AESO Response is available here.