November 2021 APEC Southern Illinois KiloWatch
Municipalities and Co-ops and Distributed Energy Resources
November 1, 2021
By Sid Daller
There has been more talk, more lawmaking, and greater improvement in the arena of distributed energy resources, also known as DERs, in large utilities and coming about from localized authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs). However, the approach has been mixed state by state, and often even within neighboring communities within a state based on the AHJ they fall under.
With extreme weather events becoming more common and more severe, DERs have positioned themselves as an answer to questions of how to build grid resilience, with many communities already sourcing power locally from entirely renewable resources.
What’s all of that mean for municipalities and co-ops? For starters, both need to consider and understand their position in their respective distribution networks in order to better gauge the impact of their investments on the greater system. Greater visibility ultimate helps everyone within the system and help to minimize energy costs and maximize reliability.
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