Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) are transforming our electricity system. Rooftop solar, battery storage, and electric vehicles can improve grid reliability, empower communities, and help the environment. However, how to plan for and accommodate DERs is an ongoing question. The outcome of the High DER Future proceeding will have significant impacts on the future of community energy.
Last year, we discussed this proceeding in its early states and whether it supported a high or hostile DER future. This time around the discussion will focus on Track 2, which is about defining a Distributed System Operator (DSO) model for California. The Alliance continues to voice concerns over historic inequities in our energy system and the need for genuine community engagement throughout this proceeding.
We are pleased to have April Sommer from the Wild Tree Foundation and Roger Lin from the Center for Biological Diversity talk about community engagement in the High DER proceeding. They will draw from their experience as parties in this proceeding and meeting with the CPUC Energy Division to lay out the current community engagement process and how this should be improved.
