Flexibility can be an important tool for system operators to optimise the use of the grid while ensuring security of supply and accelerating the penetration of renewables in the electricity network. Improved coordination among energy stakeholders, including TSOs, DSOs, FSPs (BSPs/BRPs) and consumers, plays a fundamental role in achieving the uptake of market-based flexibility solutions as part of the energy transition.
For three years and a half, the Horizon 2020 funded CoordiNet and INTERRFACE projects have collaborated to bring together the experiences of their large-scale demonstrators across Europe. As the result of their extensive cooperation, the two projects have defined a set of tools necessary to overcome the challenges faced by flexibility market stakeholders, presented in this joint position paper on “Recommendations Towards Harmonized European Flexibility Markets”.
The position paper addressed the key topics of Roles and Responsibilities, Requirements for information sharing, Requirements of prequalification process, Requirements of the settlement process, Geographical scope and network representation, Consumer engagement, and Scalability and Replicability. Through the presented set of shared policy recommendations, the paper highlights three overarching learnings from the projects’ experience.
Firstly, it is of utmost importance to strive for coordination among energy system stakeholders, characterised by seamless information exchange and clear definitions of responsibilities, fostering efficiency of the overall energy system operation and enhanced benefits for all market players.
Secondly, there is a paramount need for harmonisation of definitions, processes, and best practices across the EU, with the end goal of simplifying the setup and operation of market-based flexibility solutions, supporting the design of interoperable and yet tailored systems, and altogether enabling their scaling up and replication.
Lastly, it is crucial to empower current and new potential market actors by providing them with the tools necessary to understand the opportunities offered by flexibility markets, strengthen their role within them, and overall increase their trust, by guaranteeing transparency as one of the fundamental principles in the design of future electricity markets.
To find out more, download here the full position paper.
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