To deliver a sustainable, stable, and secure energy supply, energy networks need to be modernised. Energy system integration must be supported by the progressive electrification of demand-side sectors (e.g., building, mobility, industry) and the integration of other climate-neutral, renewable energy carriers (for example hydrogen and other renewable gases).
Efficient and effective network management is key to the optimal integration of renewables. Therefore, research activities should focus on systemic aspects to enhance the flexibility and resilience of the system, in particular: integrated energy system planning and operation, consumer engagement and provision of new services, electricity system reliability and resilience, storage development, and green digitalisation of the energy system.
The project aims at boosting consumer engagement in network management, by increasing energy system flexibility, enhancing cooperation among DSOs and TSOs and easing participation of all energy-related actors. This is achieved through the validation and large-scale demonstration of adapted and proven cross-sectoral services and interoperable platforms for smart grid operation. The project further develops already demonstrated solutions (as, for example, in the CoordiNet project, whose results are built upon in BeFlexible) and creates a system architecture framework to enable the development of new business models meeting consumers’ needs in synergy with a stable regulatory framework.
Hard Facts
Objectives
The specific objectives of the BeFlexible project are:
- Design new cross-sectorial business models to increase flexibility through the analysis and validation of alternative designs, based on flexibility acquisition mechanisms.
- Carry out a cost-benefit analysis of flexibility options to ensure profitable business models and a scalability and replicability analysis for different time scales and wide geographical models’ uptake.
- Define, assess, and understand regulatory options based on existing frameworks.
- Foster local flexibility platforms in the market domain and integrate DSO-TSO coordination platforms.
- Generate a set of consumer-centric and grid-centric services to be deployed and optimised in the different DEMO sites.
- Increase consumer engagement and acceptance of the proposed technologies through the integration of energy services as well as other services (i.e., mobility, home automation, health, safety, and security) and through maximizing flexibility for end-users.
E.DSO and DSOs
The active participation of consumers is a key prerequisite for flexibility markets and other schemes for efficient network management, designed to integrate increasing shares of renewable electricity generation into the electricity networks. Since active consumer participation in network management has not yet been introduced and tested on a large scale, the BeFlexible project aims at filling this gap.
The project is going to deliver real-life experience from large-scale demonstration sites, as well as model business cases and regulatory tools needed to increase consumer engagement in network management. The results will increase system flexibility and ultimately lead to a more efficient network operation and reduction of additional network investments. The project will leverage the principle of social co-creation to meet the customer’s needs, so that all the proposed results are accepted by the wider public.
As a partner of the project, E.DSO will lead the work on the dissemination of the results, leaning on its wide network of members and partners. E.DSO will also take part in the development and evaluation of market designs and regulatory frameworks for flexibility and consumer engagement and in the analysis of replicability of developed business models.
More Information
- See the CoordiNet Project results
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