PIAC responded to the ESB’s consultation paper on DER standards governance.
PIAC advocates for minimum technical standards that are responsive to the changing needs and opportunities from DER to be defined by industry standards frameworks. In their absence, however, we see value in developing a new coordinating structure and processes to help prioritise and coordinate technical standards for how DER systems interact with the broader system as a whole.
PIAC more than a single consumer representative on the DER governance committee is necessary to reflect the wide range of consumers and their interests. We suggests options for doing this, such as appointing one consumer representative for large consumers and one for small consumers, similar to the AEMC’s Reliability Panel, and having one consumer representative with technical expertise and one with a representative role for those experiencing disadvantage.