IntraFlex
| Funding mechanism | Network Innovation Allowance (NIA) |
|---|---|
| Duration | Oct 2019 - Nov 2021 |
| Project expenditure | £1.281M |
| Research area | New Technologies and Commercial Evolution |
Objective(s)
The objective of the project is to develop learning on:
- The operability of short term flexibility markets
- The value of increased information at the day-ahead stage to suppliers
- The value of an integrated link for rebalancing in the intra-day market
Problem(s)
It is acknowledged that to make flexibility services commercially attractive to participants, the ability to stack revenues from multiple sources is essential. Previous work in our SYNC, Entire and EFFS projects have looked to stack revenues against Electricity System Operator (ESO) services, however limited work has been done to link services into wholesale processes. The omission of these markets limits the potential for stacking revenue.
Furthermore, this lack of link creates imbalance in the wider system but does not account for it. Whilst Balancing Mechanism (BM) providers of ancillary services see their positions adjusted following calls by the ESO, there is no such process for the DNO. With current volumes of DNO called Demand Side Response (DSR) limited, this imbalance is lost in the noise, however as volumes increase a process to account for them would allow for the whole system cost of the action to be reflected.
NODES has developed a marked design for an integrated flexibility market aimed at serving all levels of the grid both Distribution System Operator (DSO) and ESO.
Method(s)
The focus of the trial is to understand how to deliver a link between DNO procurement activity and Balance Responsible Party (BRP) imbalance positions.
As such the project will look to trial a short-term marketplace for the procurement of DNO flexibility. This will trial an active rebalancing link to the intraday market operated by Nord Pool as well as an information exchange with day-ahead markets. The project also aims to open up for independent aggregators to participate alongside BRPs.