The Road to a Transactive Energy World

The path to a transactive grid where distributed energy resources (DER : distributed generation, storage, and responsive load) are welcomed to participate in addressing the needs of an economical, safe, and resilient energy system is revealing a few bumps in the road. Greater numbers of participants in the energy system recognize there is value in coordinating bulk system and DER operations, but articulating the value propositions, appreciating grid architecture and coordination frameworks, and imagining the business and social policies that provide a supportive environment for change present challenges that still need to be overcome.