Most forms of new and renewable energy produce power in DC form or as AC at an inconvenient frequency. To inject this energy into the electricity network requires a power converter known as an inverter. As the proportion of energy from such sources rises, the inverters will be expect to take a role in controlling the network beyond just supply energy. This research proposal addresses two aspects of the system that must be modelled and understood before the control design can be concluded: the detailed dynamic behaviour of the inverters when subjected to sudden changes such as large load changes will be modelled and the role the proprieties of the data communications (such as latency and bandwidth) play in shaping the control properties of remotely controlled distributed resources will be studied. Once this analysis has been verified against experimental observation, the research will tackle an example application of controlling inverters within a power system under the umbrella of the emerging concept of active distribution networks . The control aspects of forming self-sufficient power islands out of fractions of the grid will be developed as a means to continue supplying local customers from local generators when the national system experiences a failure.