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The development of new monitoring and control systems, as well as intelligent device aggregation and virtual power plants, are likely to benefit from use of the DER Lab, producing new tools that are likely to be necessary to ensure the proper integration of the growing market for distributed energy technologies.

Chief Operating Officer of the Battery Storage and Grid Integration Program, Heather Logie, says the new lab is being opened at a crucial moment when more of the world's energy system is being electrified.

"We are now in a race to 'electrify everything'. This means we need to build an energy ecosystem that is powered by millions of connected and different devices, including batteries, vehicles and even air conditioners," Logie said.

"The DER Lab is helping lead the charge. The 'plug and play' set up means researchers, government and industry have the opportunity to test this new tech and how it can be harnessed by our energy grid before the switch is flicked 'on'."

ANU Vice-Chancellor professor Brian Schmidt said the research lab would help the shift from the centralised energy system dominated by fossil fuelled power stations, to a system build in a diversity of renewable energy and energy storage technologies.

"As Australia moves away from large centralised fossil-fuel powered generators to a decentralised grid consisting of a vast array of distributed renewable energy assets, we need to find innovative ways to enable this vast amount of renewable energy to safely and effectively enter the electricity grid," Schmidt said.

"It is through the research carried out in the DER Lab that we, as a society, will be equipped with the technology and capabilities that will help smooth out and accelerate this vital energy transition."

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