Distributed Energy Resources: Top 10 Projects and Companies in 2025 and 2024

The Quiet Revolution: How Distributed Energy is Redrawing the World’s Power Map

Imagine a world where your community doesn’t go dark during a storm because the regional power plant fails. Instead, a network of local solar panels, small-scale energy storage, and backup generators seamlessly takes over, keeping the lights on, businesses running, and essential services online. This isn’t a far-off futuristic dream; it’s the reality being built today, piece by piece, through the rapid expansion of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs). For decades, we’ve relied on a fragile, centralized system of massive power plants and long-distance transmission lines. Now, a fundamental shift is underway. From bustling North American cities to developing regions in Africa, a new energy landscape is emerging—one that is more resilient, cleaner, and democratized. The latest projects and market forecasts for 2024-2025 don’t just show growth; they paint a picture of a global energy system in the midst of a profound transformation.

DER Deployments and Market Momentum: A 2024-2025 Snapshot

The scale and pace of the DER transition are accelerating, moving from niche applications to a foundational element of the global energy strategy. The data reveals a multi-layered expansion, encompassing massive market growth, significant physical installations of generation technology, and the critical software systems required to manage it all. Below are ten key data points that highlight the current wave of DER development.

1. Distributed Energy Generation Market Expected to Reach $573.7 Billion By 2033

Company: (Market Analysis)
Installation Capacity: Market size expected to reach USD 573.7 billion by 2033.
Applications: Decentralizing Power for a Sustainable Future
Source: Distributed Energy Generation Market: Decentralizing Power for a …

2. US Solar Industry Installed 10.8 GWdc in Q1 2025

Company: (Industry-Wide)
Installation Capacity: 10.8 gigawatts direct current (GWdc) of capacity in Q1 2025
Applications: Electricity generation.
Source: Solar Market Insight Report Q2 2025 – SEIA

3. Distributed Energy Resource Management System Market to Reach $1.87 Billion by 2032

Company: (Market Analysis)
Installation Capacity: Projected to grow from $791.90 million in 2025 to $1865.95 million by 2032.
Applications: Management of distributed energy resources.
Source: Distributed Energy Resource Management System Market Size

4. Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) Market Projected to Reach $47.04 Billion in 2025

Company: (Market Analysis)
Installation Capacity: Projected to reach USD 47,039.61 million in 2025
Applications: Distributed energy generation and management.
Source: Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) Market Report, 2033

5. Ørsted Built Two of the Top 10 Largest Clean Energy Projects in the US in 2024

Company: Ørsted
Installation Capacity: Not specified.
Applications: Clean energy generation.
Source: Top Utility-Scale Solar Developers in the US – Cleanview

6. RMI and GEAPP Reveal 10-Year Roadmap to 20+ GW Renewable Energy Market Opportunity in Nigeria

Company: RMI, GEAPP
Installation Capacity: 20+ GW market opportunity.
Applications: Utility-enabled distributed energy in Nigeria.
Source: RMI and GEAPP Reveal 10-Year Roadmap to 20+ GW Renewable …

7. US Solar Industry Installed 10.8 GWdc of Capacity in Q1 2025

Company: (Industry-Wide)
Installation Capacity: 10.8 GWdc
Applications: Electricity generation.
Source: Solar Market Insight Report Q2 2025 – SEIA

8. Power Sector Investment in Solar PV to Exceed $500 Billion in 2024

Company: (Industry-Wide)
Installation Capacity: Investment exceeding USD 500 billion
Applications: Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology
Source: Overview and key findings – World Energy Investment 2024 – Analysis

9. Enerkem’s Biofuel Facility Under Construction in Varennes, Quebec

Company: Enerkem
Installation Capacity: $1.2B
Applications: Biofuel Production
Source: Major Projects Planned or Under Construction 2024 to 2034

10. Hydroelectricity accounts for 57% of new projects in Canada

Company: (Industry-Wide)
Installation Capacity: 57% of new projects
Applications: Hydroelectricity Generation
Source: Powering Canada’s Future: A Clean Electricity Strategy

Table: Summary of 2024-2025 DER Projects and Market Data

From Megawatts to Management: The Widening Scope of DER Adoption

The diversity of applications within the DER space signals a crucial shift from a focus on pure generation to a more holistic, system-wide approach. It’s no longer just about putting solar panels on a roof. The data shows three parallel trends driving wider adoption. First, core generation technologies like solar and hydro remain the bedrock. The staggering $500 billion global investment in solar PV and the 10.8 GWdc installed in a single quarter in the US underscore solar’s role as a primary engine of decarbonization. Likewise, Canada’s reliance on hydroelectricity for 57% of its new projects shows that established DERs are critical for national energy strategies. Second, we see DERs pushing into new sectors. Enerkem’s $1.2 billion biofuel facility in Quebec is not for grid electricity but for producing alternative fuels, demonstrating how DER principles are decarbonizing transportation and industry. Third, and perhaps most strategically important, is the rise of the management layer. The projected doubling of the Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) market to $1.87 billion by 2032 is a direct response to the complexity of a DER-rich grid. It proves the industry has moved past simply installing assets to actively orchestrating them for maximum value and grid stability. This evolution from hardware to intelligent software is a definitive sign of mainstream adoption.

A Tale of Two Grids: Global Hotspots and Diverging Strategies

Geographic trends reveal a fascinating divergence in DER adoption strategies, shaped by regional resources, market maturity, and policy objectives. North America currently stands out as a dominant force. The United States is a clear leader in aggressive scaling, evidenced by the massive solar installation figures from SEIA and the presence of global giants like Ørsted developing some of the country’s largest clean energy projects. This reflects a mature market focused on rapid, large-scale deployment to meet climate goals and replace aging infrastructure. To the north, Canada is pursuing a different path, leveraging its natural endowments. By focusing 57% of its new project pipeline on hydroelectricity, Canada is reinforcing its clean energy foundation with a proven, reliable DER technology. In stark contrast to these established markets, the 10-year roadmap for Nigeria, developed by RMI and GEAPP, represents the immense potential in emerging economies. The plan for a 20+ GW market isn’t about incrementally adding to an existing grid; it’s about using utility-enabled DERs to build a modern, resilient energy system from the ground up, tackling energy access and economic development simultaneously. This suggests that while developed nations use DERs to evolve their grids, developing nations may leapfrog directly to a decentralized model.

From Blueprint to Reality: The Maturing DER Technology Stack

The current wave of investment and deployment reveals a DER ecosystem with technologies at various stages of maturity, all contributing to the overall transition. Solar PV is unequivocally a mature, commercially dominant technology. When a single technology commands over $500 billion in annual investment and sees installations on the scale of 10.8 GW per quarter, it has moved far beyond the demonstration phase into its role as a global energy staple. Similarly, hydroelectricity, while capital-intensive, is a deeply mature and understood technology, making it a low-risk choice for countries like Canada looking to expand their clean energy base. At the next stage of the maturity curve are technologies like advanced biofuels. Enerkem’s $1.2 billion facility indicates that this technology is in a commercial scaling phase—proven, but requiring significant capital to build out industrial-scale capacity. The most telling sign of the entire sector’s maturity, however, is the rapid growth of enabling technologies. The DERMS market, projected to more than double in seven years, is the “nervous system” of the distributed grid. Its rapid growth shows that the industry is solving the second-order problem that arises from success: how to manage millions of disparate energy assets efficiently. This move toward sophisticated software control signals that DERs are no longer a collection of individual projects but are coalescing into an integrated, intelligent system.

The Future is Orchestrated: What’s Next for Distributed Energy

Looking ahead, the data from 2024-2025 signals a clear trajectory: the future of energy is not just distributed, it’s orchestrated. The sheer scale of the market, projected to exceed half a trillion dollars within a decade, confirms that DERs are now central to global energy planning. The key insight, however, lies beyond the raw numbers. The concurrent explosion in both physical assets like solar and management platforms like DERMS indicates that the next phase of the revolution is about integration and optimization. The value is shifting from simply generating a kilowatt-hour to providing grid services, enhancing resilience, and empowering consumers. We are moving from an era of passive installation to one of active management, where every solar panel, battery, and EV charger can be a coordinated participant in a more efficient and robust grid. As roadmaps like the one for Nigeria are replicated globally, we will see this decentralized model become the default for energy expansion, creating a more equitable and sustainable energy future for all.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) and why are they important?
Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) are a network of local, small-scale power generation and storage technologies, such as solar panels, batteries, and backup generators. They are important because they create a more resilient and reliable power grid that is less dependent on large, centralized power plants, which can fail during storms or other disruptions. This helps keep essential services online and communities powered.

How significant is the growth in the distributed energy market?
The growth is substantial and accelerating. The article highlights several key figures: global investment in solar PV is set to exceed $500 billion in 2024, and the overall distributed energy generation market is projected to reach $573.7 billion by 2033. This shows a massive financial and strategic shift towards decentralized power on a global scale.

What are the main technologies driving the DER revolution?
The main drivers include mature generation technologies like solar PV and hydroelectricity, which are seeing massive investment and deployment. The article also points to the commercial scaling of technologies like advanced biofuels. Crucially, the rapid growth of the Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) market indicates that the software needed to control and orchestrate these assets is a key part of the revolution.

Is the adoption of DERs happening the same way everywhere in the world?
No, the strategies are different depending on the region. North America, for instance, is focused on aggressive, large-scale deployment of solar (in the US) and leveraging natural resources for hydroelectricity (in Canada). In contrast, emerging economies like Nigeria are using DERs as a way to leapfrog traditional infrastructure and build a modern, resilient grid from the ground up to address energy access and economic development.

Why is the management software (DERMS) for these systems so important?
As more and more individual energy assets (like solar panels and batteries) are added to the grid, the system becomes very complex. DERMS acts as a central ‘nervous system’ to orchestrate all these disparate resources. It ensures they work together efficiently to provide stable power, which is critical for moving beyond simply installing hardware to creating an integrated, intelligent, and reliable energy system.