Shared Knowledge

Increasing flexibility of the distribution system is key to enabling further integration of renewable-based generation while ensuring secure and efficient operation. This implies a change in distribution network operation and planning, being able to integrate third-party resources into their internal procedures and coordinate with DSO-owned assets.

The transformation of the energy market is integral to addressing the challenges confronting the EU, and DSOs constitute a pivotal component of this market. Effecting responsible changes within the energy market requires the proactive involvement of DSOs.

This opinion article presents the author’s point of view on the modern technical solution to enable grid flexibility and points out that before the flex market arises and starts acting it is necessary to specify flexibility products. The article depicts two of them: dynamic line rating supporting flexibility of the high voltage line capacity and MV/LV transformer equipped with the on-load tap changer (OLTC), which facilitates enlarging the share of the inverter-based generating sources (mainly PV installations) in the grid and thus create the possibility to offer the flexibility service. Both solutions are elaborated in the scope of the Polish demonstrator EU project – EUniversal.

In a recent article in the IEEE Power and Energy Magazine called “From ‘Fit and Forget’ to ‘Flex or Regret’ in Distribution Grids”, we explored the use of flexibility for congestion management in European distribution networks and reached the following conclusions…

NODES, a EUniversal Project partner, as made available a report on market based redispatch in the distribution grid .