Coordination Action to consolidate RTD activities for large-scale integration of DER into the European electricity market (SOLID-DER)

The integration of DER in the European electricity networks has attracted attention of energy producers, network operators, policy makers and R&D community. In some countries it created a number of challenges for the electricity supply system creating barriers for further expansion of DER. Furthermore, there exists a lack of awareness and understanding of the possible benefits and scope of DER in the electricity system, while environmental goals and security of supply issues ask for solutions that DER could give in the future. The SOLID-DER Coordination Action will tackle the barriers for further integration of DER, overcoming the lack of awareness and fragmentation in EU R&D results by consolidating all European DER research activities. In particular awareness of DER solutions and benefits will be raised in the new Member States, thereby addressing the specific issues and barriers faced here. Consequently the key objectives of the project are: Identify and assess the critical developments, innovations and findings in meeting the R&D needs for large-scale integration of DER. It concerns developments in the field of legislation, regulation, DER support policies, market access, technical breakthroughs in DER supply and enabling technologies. To provide an assessment of costs/benefits and concepts of business models for DER and pro-active networks. Raising awareness of benefits of DER and organising dissemination of knowledge and capacity building in the new MS. The assessment and recommendations of RTD activities and its progress on national, regional, and EU levels will be reviewed and commented by the representatives of the electricity business community. This intensive dialogue will lead to an effective achievement of the overall EU energy policy goals and optimising the penetration of DER. At the same time, it will ensure that electricity networks can guarantee sufficient level of reliability of operation…

Lithuanian team was responsible for: 1) analysis of economic, policy and regulatory constraints for DER integration in Lithuania and other Baltic countries, identifying: barriers and constraints for deployment of distributed generation related with regulatory environment and legal acts (laws, resolutions, decisions acts, organization); specific features of electricity market and support schemes for integration of DER; assessment of costs and benefits of different DER options integration, 2) analysis of technical and system constraints for DER integration including network technologies enabling new ways of network management and improved DER connection, 3) dissemination of experience and awareness raising, including organisation of two SOLID-DER National Seminars, communication with relevant Lithuanian associations and with experts from Estonia and Latvia, preparation of publications in Lithuanian and international journals.