Inside edgeFLEX
Today: CRE
Supporting regulatory measures for smart grids and promoting flexibility
The energy sector is increasingly associated with the terminology "energy transition," and the main factors that determine and enhance this transition are the integration of renewable energy sources and digitalization. The smart grid concept par excellence is based on a series of real-time features and functionalities, by involving 5G technology, integration of algorithms for analysis and substantiation of decisions using big data, innovative services, and solutions to promote flexibility in the energy systems, responding to the challenges of managing the unpredictability of renewables.
The effective exploitation of this valuable source depends, to a large extent, on the quality of the data analysis, interpretation algorithms, and the associated ICT applications and cloud-based services for grid operation effectiveness and flexibility.
The development of such solutions and the wider analysis of their implementation framework, within the context of the edgeFLEX project, highlighted several aspects that need to be considered for facilitating the widespread adoption.
The edgeFLEX VPP2.0 solution, involving VPPs together with the energy communities in real time grid management and supporting flexibility, is part of the broader context of the digitalization of energy systems, consolidating the energy sector towards exploiting the huge potential of ICT real-time solutions, having an impact on better monitoring, control, and optimization of operations.
Whether we are referring to technical or market challenges, in the context of adopting and implementing smart grid solutions and promoting flexibility, the regulations in force can be both important obstacles and catalysts for the adoption of these solutions.
By default, and with technology advancement, the market reacts and proposes solutions to respond to these trends, but their adoption and implementation depends, to a large extent, on new measures and updates of the regulatory framework, such as:
- The ICT Network Code Continuum addressing missing ICT network code provisions
- A new ancillary service to address the growing need to provide inertia in the grid
- A new approach to local Voltage regulation based on integrating ICT solutions
- A Network Code (NC) for Demand-Side Flexibility (DSF) taking in small assets
- Network Code on Cybersecurity
Mihai Mladin