Energinet Publishes Real-Time Imbalances in the Electricity System and Contributes to a More Sustainable Energy Supply

Challenge

The power grid must integrate increasing amounts of electricity from renewable, fluctuating energy sources such as wind and solar. At the same time, several central power plants are being phased out, while more decentralized units are being established for purposes such as heating, transport, cooling, and wastewater management. This creates a challenge for maintaining balance in the electricity system - both in the overarching TSO (Transmission System Operator) grid and the local DSO (Distribution System Operator) grids.

Smaller units, such as electric vehicles and heat pumps, hold great potential for balancing the electricity system due to their flexible consumption. However, there is a lack of tools to activate these units within the power system. In situations where wind and solar conditions deviate from forecasts, there would be significant value for the grid - as well as savings for asset owners - in shifting the consumption of electrical vehicles and heat pumps.

Solution

In a Digital Energy Hub inspiration sprint with Energinet, we brought together 25 experts within the digitized energy sector. Together, we developed recommendations and concrete action plans for how small, flexible units can be better activated using real-time price signals to ensure balance in the power system.

The expert panel included a broad range of representatives: DSOs, TSOs, owners of flexible small units, aggregators, industry associations, knowledge institutions, GTS institutes, regulatory authorities, and digital solution developers. Their recommendations resulted in a pilot project by Energinet to share real-time imbalance data with industry players.

Result

As a result of the sprint, Energinet has committed to publishing real-time imbalances via their Energy Data Service - Power Systems Right Now. This will increase market participants’ awareness of the current state of the electricity system and allow them to continuously monitor the need for balancing. In this way, market players can actively contribute to reducing real-time imbalances, leading to a more sustainable energy supply.

Check out Energinet’s real-time imbalance publication through Power Systems Right Now. Or read more about Energinet'0s pilot project here.

”If Energinet brings information about the balancing market closer to real-time, it will significantly increase the likelihood that market players act in accordance with the needs of the power system. We therefore expect that, especially during extreme events, self-balancing will increasingly help maintain system balance and reduce Energinet’s need to deplete reserves."

– Jeppe Danø, Vice President, Business and Market, Energinet.