Distributed Energy Resources (DER) are the smaller-scale devices which use, generate or store electricity, including household energy assets such as rooftop solar, batteries, electric vehicle chargers and appliances (such as pool pumps or hot water systems).
In 2020, the State Government’s DER Roadmap outlined the role of these assets, highlighting the need for these to communicate and interact with our energy system. This is known as ‘DER interoperability’ and is designed to benefit electricity consumers, support the South West Interconnected System (SWIS) and facilitate the renewable energy transition to sustainable energy generation across WA.
At Synergy, we play an integral role in supporting energy system reliability while supporting the continued uptake of DER. The DER Roadmap outlined critical actions that need to be taken to help realise a renewable energy future. For Synergy, the WA Government and other industry partners, this began with a range of DER pilots, such as Project Symphony where hundreds of DER such as rooftop solar, batteries, air conditioners and hot water systems were coordinated as a virtual power plant to optimise the supply and demand in real-time. Our initial pilots and trials involved extensive research and stringent testing , which has culminated in the knowledge, expertise and experience required for this next phase.
Now our focus is on building these capabilities at scale so we can seamlessly integrate customer DER into the SWIS. It’s an exciting time for energy in WA – and as an industry participant and electricity consumer, you’re connected to it.
Aligning with national DER remote management approach
Standardising and streamlining the way DER interacts with the energy system is a national priority. We’re playing an active role in this, participating in a number of working groups and committees to drive towards a consistent national approach to DER remote management and implementing solutions that are consistent with this approach.
Enhancing Emergency Solar Management
Since early 2022, all new and upgraded solar PV systems with an inverter capacity of 5kW or less need to be able to be remotely turned down or off in emergency situations. We are now working on updating the implementation of this program, in line with our plans for DER management. This will involve simplifying the process for technology providers and reducing impacts on customers, allowing them to use their solar energy during events where this is supported by their system.
Introducing new products for DER customers
Our products and services have evolved and will continue to do so. As an example, we now offer a range of time-of-use electricity products designed to incentivise customers to shift their consumption from peak to off-peak periods by providing lower tariffs. New products are under development that will reward customers for the services their DER can provide to the energy system, enabled by these capabilities.
Your role in WA's DER future
We have adopted the Common Smart Inverter Profile – Australia (CSIP-Aus) as the preferred standards for remote management of all DER, as it aligns with the national approach, delivers core capabilities while providing extensibility for future use cases. If you are a technology provider, retailer or installer, the ways DER and these national standards impact the way you work will depend on a range of factors, including the products and services you offer. As we change the way that DER is managed, we’re here to support our technology providers, retailers and installers through this transition.
Expand each section below to read more.
Technology providers
The CSIP-Aus is a technical solution which includes a set of standards to enable DER interoperability within an Australian electricity sector context, along with instructions on the implementation of those standards. It was created through the collaborative efforts of Australian energy sector businesses from across the supply chain, including retailers, distribution networks, equipment manufacturers and aggregators.
We have developed a minimal set of extensions to this standard to unlock battery management , so new products and offers can be created for customers who own an eligible battery.
We’re taking a staged approach to our adoption of CSIP-Aus. If you are one of our technology providers – such as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), gateway solution providers and third-party software providers – you’ll need to:
- Meet our technical requirements.
- Undertake testing and certification of your CSIP-Aus software client and inverter hardware.
Synergy is focussed on aligning its implementation with other jurisdictions in Australia. We’re actively supporting the national consolidation of remote DER management approaches to streamline processes and minimise impacts for our technology providers.
Equipment retailers
Customers need to be supported in making informed choices about the DER assets they purchase and install. If you are an equipment retailer, you may be your customers’ main source of information and can help them to make informed choices. You’re also responsible for ensuring new installation and commissioning requirements are implemented by any employees or contractors who deliver your equipment installations.
As an equipment retailer for a Synergy customer , you will need to:
- Support customers to choose equipment that meets the requirements.
- Help customers understand the benefits associated with these changes, including the opportunity to opt into new products that reward them for the services their DER can provide.
- Make sure your installers (whether employed directly or sub-contracted) are aware of the installation and commissioning requirements for each installation, including using the Synergy Test tool to confirm the equipment is functioning correctly.
Installers
If you’re an installer for a Synergy customer , you are critical to ensuring customer DER is correctly installed and commissioned to meet the requirements and maximise the value to the customer.
As these changes are implemented, you will need to:
- Ensure equipment is installed and commissioned in accordance with the requirements.
- Follow the technology provider (OEM) instructions to connect the asset to our Synergy systems.
- Work with the equipment retailer to use our Synergy Test Tool to confirm the equipment is functioning correctly.
Indicative 2025 timeline
Bringing together DER as virtual power plants - Project Jupiter
Synergy is playing an important role, as a part of Project Jupiter, in helping integrate rooftop solar, home and community batteries into WA’s main energy system through virtual power plants. Find out how we are partnering with the wider energy sector to achieve the 2028 goal of creating the landscape where new solar and battery systems can participate in services which offer additional value to customers and to the SWIS.