The quest for flexibility

The increasing integration of intermittent renewable energy sources in the electricity system has resulted in a quest for flexibility, both for system security and the efficient operation of the market. Utrecht University and TenneT will present their results in a symposium in Arnhem on 13 April.

Until now the flexibility of the energy system  was mainly sourced from large power plants at the supply-side. The focus of enabling flexibility is, however, increasingly placed at the demand-side. This shift is due to the increasing electrification of the transport, the further integration of solar energy systems in buildings, the gradual decommission of thermal power plants and the liberalisation of the energy market.

Unlocking the flexibility at the demand-side is considered a key factor for an effective energy transition, which requires the active participation and empowerment of energy consumers.

Limited capacity and controllability

In most cases, individual distributed resources, such as electric vehicles, heat pumps, PV systems and batteries, cannot contribute to flexibility services on their own because of limited capacity and controllability. Aggregator companies are organisations that can combine these distributed energy resources into a single system resource that can be utilised for the provision of flexibility services.

Utrecht University and TenneT, the transmission system operator in the Netherlands, identified the opportunities, barriers and potential solutions in developing flexibility mechanisms through aggregator companies within the Dutch electricity system and market.

Symposium Flexibility and Aggregators

The results of this project will be presented in a symposium organised by TenneT about the future of flexibility and aggregators in the Netherlands. The event will take place on Friday 13 April 2018 at Papendal in Arnhem. For receiving an invitation for the event and/or obtaining an electronic copy of the project report please send a message to i.lampropoulos@uu.nl. Please register before 6 April.

This project was also supported by the Ministry of Economy and Climate, and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency.