Distributed Energy Resources (DERs)—including solar PV, battery storage, electric vehicles, and responsive loads—are proliferating in distribution grids around the world as customers seek greater control over the cost and environmental footprint of their electricity use. At the same time, extreme weather events, natural disasters, and cyber intrusions have brought the resiliency value of these resources into focus. As widespread adoption becomes a reality, utilities face new challenges and opportunities that have the potential to transform the way the distribution grid is managed. What role should utilities play in guiding DER adoption? How should the resiliency benefits of DERs be valued? What lessons can be drawn from regions where DER penetration is already significant?
Electricity customers are increasingly adopting and deploying behind-the-meter distributed energy resources (DERs) to reduce energy costs and increase reliability. Both electric utilities and their customers are discovering new value streams with behind-the-meter energy storage and it is rapidly changing electricity markets. While solar has historically dominated the behind-the-meter DER landscape, battery energy storage demand is growing rapidly due to evolving policy and rate design and new, innovative products and applications developed for electricity markets. What will be the key business models enabling behind-the-meter storage? Who is best positioned to capture the value?