Overview

This paper draws on the work carried out in the UK by the Energy Data Taskforce and how its recommendations pertain to and align with flexibility service provisions and market developments in the UK. Insights from relevant energy
stakeholders (networks, industry/innovation and academia) have also been incorporated.

Overview

There are many developments around flexibility within the energy system, particularly around electricity network reinforcement avoidance and trading platforms. However, there are also significant gaps in this area that could hinder the participation of innovators in the flexibility markets and, at the same time, limit the procurement process for network companies. This insight paper attempts to capture the views and insights from experts within the UK and draw out the key takeaways.

Summary

Many developments are taking place around flexibility within energy system(s), particularly around electricity network reinforcement avoidance and trading platforms. However, the scoping study hypothesis was that there are also significant gaps in research. As such, the study conducted a literature review to confirm areas that are being considered and concurrently surveyed ISGAN member countries to gather additional thoughts and concerns.

Conclusions were that there are areas that still need to be addressed, namely:

1. Integration of trading with dispatch
2. Understanding of multiple actors’, requirements (including where those requirements are conflicting) for flexibility and the commercial implications
3. A need to identify the characteristics that different flexibility options provides and how to access them
4. Interoperable markets to support the development and usage of flexible products and services at scale
5. Consumer focused flexibility
6. Avoiding stability/security of supply issues through loss of diversity

This report summarises the findings of the literature study and the survey, and explains the thought leadership, to date, in the areas described as gaps above.