Integration activities will be closely coordinated with the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). This coordination will ensure that advances in renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies by EERE can be readily integrated into the electric distribution and transmission system by OE.

Integrated demonstrations are a key focus of the RDSI to address technology readiness and market acceptance issues for distributed systems and provide quantitative data on costs, benefits, business models, utility system impacts, and consumer impacts. The demonstrations are structured at local/state/regional levels to be jointly conducted with utilities, equipment manufacturers, end-users, national laboratories, and universities. The RDSI program also focuses on interconnection issues related to systems integration. RDSI projects are grouped under the following two Technology Areas:

Integrated Demonstrations
Demonstrations of significant use of distributed systems to provide a substantial amount of peak power, i.e., greater than 20% of the capacity of distribution feeder(s) and/or substation, and other functions and services.

Interconnection Standards Development and Testing
Development and harmonization of national and international standards for interconnection of distributed systems and electric power systems, and testing advanced interconnection technologies to support standards development.