Distributed Energy Resources (DERs)

Customers are embracing DERs—and that presents utilities with a challenge; how to provide safe and reliable service. That’s where we come in.

The influx of distributed energy resources is fundamentally reshaping the electric industry. State policy, financial incentives, and customer demand are all driving this rise, and that’s only set to increase. Even the grid is changing—evolving from a traditional one-way centralized generation model to a multi-directional distributed energy generation model.

Though all this presents significant architecture and operational challenges to traditional service providers, optimized real-time DERs provide greater flexibility to meet load demands. As utilities move toward distributed energy generation and grid optimization, the customer’s role in the energy value chain increases dramatically. The utility’s ability to influence mutually beneficial distributed energy resource adoption and behavior will help dictate whether DERs serve as an opportunity or threat.

That’s where we can help.

Results You Can Expect

Increased visibility and efficiency of DER programs
Improved data flows for DER offerings
Optimized and automated workflows
Consolidated tracking, planning, and control of all DER assets in a single system

Increase DER interconnection and productivity with Intellio® Connect

West Monroe’s DER interconnection offering is powered by Intellio® Connect, which supports your electric utility through an end-to-end platform that connects the grid. Intellio® Connect automates the DER interconnection application process, maintains customer records, and integrates with asset and control systems—so you can spend less time wading through paperwork and more time optimizing the grid.

For one investor-owned utility, Intellio® Connect reduced interconnection application approval time by 50% and increased the number of applications processed by 300%. This resulted in $4 million in electronic payment revenue and over 3,000 labor hours saved for the utility.

Learn more about West Monroe’s Intellio® suite of assets that deliver results, faster.

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What We Offer

Enhance utility processes to execute integrated DER programs across your utility

To successfully accommodate distributed energy resources to the grid, utilities need to rethink business processes. This starts with mindful planning, and a strategy that promotes cross collaboration across the organization—from building a business case and roadmap, to program design and optimization, to workflow, customer engagement, and portfolio management.

Position your distributed energy resource utility for success with customers and regulators

Customers are changing the way they interact with utilities, demanding more information and energy-efficient options. When building the grid of the future to satisfy the expectations and needs of customers and the requirements set by regulators, a customer-first mindset is crucial.

Prepare for a distributed energy future

From system studies and design, to contract development and agreement, to interconnecting DERs, we can help. Maintain an efficient and customer-focused interconnection process to meet the rapidly increasing levels of customer interconnection requests with Intellio® Connect.

Integrate and manage utility and customer DERs to support reliable grid operations

Utilities need to keep the lights on, respond to outages more effectively, and increase reliability to suit a more demanding customer base. Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADMS) and Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS) offer technological solutions to integrate the increased penetration of DERs.

Implement a cohesive end-to-end Transportation Electrification program

Charging infrastructure will need to be addressed to satisfy everyone from the residential electric vehicle owner to commercial and industrial fleets. By embracing transportation electrification and replacing fragmented processes with unified cross-departmental efforts, we can help you build a successful distributed energy resources program that delivers customer satisfaction and overall stakeholder value.