Flexibility needs at system level and how RD&I projects are leveraging these solutions The webinar discussed flexibility needs at the system level and how research, development, and innovation (RD&I) projects are leveraging flexibility solutions. It provided context on the changing power system with increasing renewable energy and distributed energy resources. There is a clear need for flexibility solutions and enablers at the system level as identified by organizations like ENTSO-E. Several RD&I projects, including FlexPlan and CoordiNET, are developing tools and demonstrations to provide flexibility solutions and enable greater coordination between transmission and distribution system operators. The webinar highlighted the work these projects are doing to address flexibility needs through planning tools

1. Flexibility needs at system level
and how RD&I projects are
leveraging these solutions
November 6th, 2020
Organized by INTERPRETER, in partnership with FlexPlan and CoordiNET
ISGAN Academy webinar #24
Recorded webinars available at: https://www.iea-isgan.org/our-work/annex-8/
Nuno Amaro; Gianluigi Migliavacca & José Pablo Chaves
FlexPlan

2. ISGAN in a Nutshell
Created under the auspices of:
the Implementing
Agreement for a
Co-operative
Programme on Smart
Grids
2
Strategic platform to support high-level government
knowledge transfer and action for the accelerated
development and deployment of smarter, cleaner
electricity grids around the world
International Smart Grid Action Network is
the only global government-to-
government forum on smart grids.
an initiative of the
Clean Energy
Ministerial (CEM)
Annexes
Annex 1
Global
Smart Grid
Inventory Annex 2
Smart Grid
Case
Studies
Annex 3
Benefit-
Cost
Analyses
and
Toolkits
Annex 4
Synthesis
of Insights
for
Decision
Makers
Annex 5
Smart Grid
Internation
al
Research
Facility
Network
Annex 6
Power
T&D
Systems
Annex 7
Smart Grids
Transitions
Annex 8:
ISGAN
Academy
on Smart
Grids
06/11/2020

3. ISGAN’s worldwide presence
306/11/2020

4. Value proposition
4
ISGAN
Conference
presentations
Policy
briefs Technology
briefs
Technical
papers
Discussion
papers
Webinars
Casebooks
Workshops
Broad international
expert network
Knowledge sharing,
technical assistance,
project coordination
Global, regional &
national policy support
Strategic partnerships
IEA, CEM, GSGF,
Mission Innovation, etc.
Visit our website:
www.iea-isgan.org

5. The BRIDGE Initiative
506/11/2020

6. The BRIDGE Initiative
Cooperation group of Smart Grid, Energy Storage,
Islands and Digitalisation H2020 projects
606/11/2020
• BRIDGE fosters continuous knowledge sharing amongst projects
• Focus on joint recommendations about the future exploitation
BRIDGE Working Groups:
Data Management Business Models Regulations
Customer
Engagement

7. The BRIDGE Initiative
This webinar is part of a collaboration action of 5 H2020 projects
related with BRIGDE, organized by INTERPRETER.
706/11/2020
FlexPlan
Organisation:
Invited projects:
Two webinars on Flexibility have been launched
with ISGAN:
ISGAN webinar #24:
Flexibility needs at system level and how RD&I
projects are leveraging these solutions
ISGAN webinar #25:
Local flexibility solutions leveraged by RD&I projects
as system stability solutions

8. Flexibility –
System needs and current context
806/11/2020

9. Power systems – Changing context
906/11/2020

10. Power systems – Changing context
1006/11/2020

11. Context – Why flexibility?
11
Source: World Energy Council
06/11/2020

12. Context – Why flexibility?
12
Source: World Energy Council
06/11/2020

13. Needs for RD&I
13
Source: ETIP-SNET
06/11/2020

14. Needs for RD&I
• Clear need for flexibility
solutions and flexibility
enablers at system level
• Not something
academic/research level –
clearly identified at operational
level (e.g. ENTSO-E)
14
Source: ENTSO-E
06/11/2020

15. Needs for RD&I
• Clear need for flexibility solutions and flexibility enablers at system level
• Multiple solutions
• Leveraged by RD&I Projects (H2020 plays a major role)
• Including grid operators, regulatory bodies, etc.
• INTERPRETER Project aims to provide a contribution
• Technical solutions
• Interaction with other initiatives
1506/11/2020

16. 1606/11/2020
Project

17. Interoperable tools for an efficient management and effective planning of the
electricity grid
17
• H2020-LC-SC3-2019-ES-SCC Call
• RIA: Research and Innovation Action
• EU Funding: 3 907 872 €
• Duration: 36 M
• Coordinator: CIRCE
• 9 partners
The project
06/11/2020

18. The overall objective of INTERPRETER is:
• To develop a modular grid management solution, a set of interoperable off-line
and on-line software tools for optimized design, planning, operation and
maintenance of the electricity grid, with a special focus on distribution network. It
will be offered to grid operators through an open-source software platform.
The overall solution and each of its modules will be:
• developed, tested and validated in close collaboration with 2 DSOs and partners
from 6 different EU countries, providing a set of representative use cases, thus
ensuring the replicability and uptake of INTERPRETER solution across Europe.
18
Objectives and approach
06/11/2020

19. 19
Platform architecture
06/11/2020

20. 20
Grid operation and maintenance
Non-technical
losses detection
Ancillary
services for DSO
based on voltage
balance and
congestion
DSO/TSO
interaction for
ancillary services
extension
Predictive
maintenance
strategies for
grid assets
Grid control
optimisation and
self-Healing
Grid Planning
Optimal reactive
power
compensation
Planned phase
balancing
Dispersed
storage units
location
optimization
Nodal capacity
allocation
Environmental
and economic
assessment
Low-voltage grid
modelling tool
Contributing to flexibility related solutions at planning and operational levels
10+1 Services (to be) provided
06/11/2020

21. FlexPlan Project
2106/11/2020

22. Why «grid flexibility» is needed
ENERGY TRANSITION
(ambitious targets on:
decarbonization, energy efficiency)
Massive RES deployment
Decommissioning of conventional power plants
Development of DER in distribution (becoming an active grid)
Smart Grids, empowerment of customer, local communities
CONSEQUENCES
More need of ancillary services (also innovative: artificial inertia, fast freq. services)
Need of TSO-DSO coordination
Reform of energy markets
• coupling of RT markets, extension to distribution,
• adaptation of algorithms to a RES quota near to 100%
• Development of capacity markets
• Development of retail markets
Reforming grid planning in order to cope with variable flows due to RES
Regulatory process coordinated by EC and NRA is needed to foster a
best fitting pattern and avoid un-harmonized developments in the
Member States 22
FlexPlan

23. SmartNet and FlexPlan: two synergic H2020 projects
… aims at establishing a new grid
planning methodology considering the
opportunity to introduce new storage
and flexibility resources in electricity
transmission and distribution grids as
an alternative to building new grid
elements.
… compares five different TSO-DSO
operative interaction schemes and
different real-time market architectures
with the aim of finding out which one
could deliver the best compromise
between costs and benefits for the
system.
• Start date:
01.01.2016
• End date:
30.06.2019
• Start date:
01.10.2019
• End date:
30.09.2022
23
FlexPlan
06/11/2020

24. • High-speed deployment of RES (challenging European target: 32% at
2030) is making T&D planning more and more complex and affected by a
high level of uncertainty
• Grid investments are capital intensive and the lifetime of transmission
infrastructure spans several decades: when a new line is commissioned it
might be already partially regarded as a stranded cost
• Building new lines meets more and more hostility from the public opinion,
which makes planning activities even longer and affected by uncertainties
• Variable flows from RES are generating a new type of intermittent
congestion which can sometimes be well compensated with system
flexibility: investments in a new line would not be justified.
• There is an on-going debate on the employment of storage technologies
and system flexibility to make the RES grid injection more predictable
(“virtual power plant”)
• Hence the idea of establishing a new grid planning methodology
considering the opportunity to introduce new storage and flexibility
resources in electricity transmission and distribution grids as an
alternative to building new grid elements
Why
FlexPlan?
24
FlexPlan
06/11/2020

25. Research Partners:
– RSE, Italy (Project Coordinator, WP7 and WP8 leader)
– EKC, Serbia
– KU-Leuven, Belgium (WP1 leader)
– N-SIDE, Belgium (WP3 leader)
– R&D NESTER Portugal (WP5 leader)
– SINTEF, Norway (WP6 leader)
– TECNALIA, Spain (WP2 leader)
– TU-Dortmund, Germany (WP4 leader)
– VITO, Belgium
Transmission System Operators:
– TERNA, Italy
• Terna Rete Italia as Linked third Party
– REN, Portugal
– ELES, Slovenia
Distribution System Operators
– ENEL Global Infrastructure and Networks
• e-distribuzione as Linked third Party
25
FlexPlan
06/11/2020
Partnership

26. Operational costs, of existing
generation and load including
air quality impact and CO2
emissions impact of
conventional power plants
Investment costs,
including carbon footprint
(apart conventional
generation) and
landscape impact costs
Contingencies costs, as
the product of curtailed load
and value of lost load
weighted over a set of
contingencies c, using
contingency probabilities
Operational costs
of new investments
𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 �
𝑦𝑦
�
𝑡𝑡
�
𝑗𝑗
𝐶𝐶𝑦𝑦,𝑡𝑡,𝑗𝑗 + �
𝑗𝑗
𝛼𝛼𝑦𝑦,𝑗𝑗 𝐶𝐶𝑦𝑦,𝑡𝑡,𝑗𝑗 + 𝛥𝛥𝛥𝛥 �
𝑐𝑐,𝑗𝑗
�𝑈𝑈𝑦𝑦,𝑡𝑡,𝑐𝑐 𝐶𝐶𝑦𝑦,𝑡𝑡,𝑗𝑗
𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣
𝛥𝛥𝑃𝑃𝑦𝑦,𝑡𝑡,𝑗𝑗,𝑐𝑐 + �
𝑗𝑗
𝛼𝛼𝑦𝑦,𝑗𝑗 𝐼𝐼𝑦𝑦,𝑗𝑗
y = 2030, 2040, 2050
26
FlexPlan
06/11/2020
The new planning tool
• Best planning strategy with a limited number of expansion
options (mixed-integer, sequential OPF)
• T&D integrated planning
• Embedded environmental analysis (air quality, carbon footprint, landscape
constraints)
• Simultaneous mid- and long-term planning calculation over three grid years:
2030-2040-2050
• Yearly climate variants (variability of RES time series and load time series) taken
into account in by a Monte Carlo process; the number of combinations reduced
by using clustering-based scenario reduction techniques.
• Full incorporation of CBA criteria into the target function
• Probabilistic elements (instead of N-1 security criterion)
• Numerical ad hoc decomposition techniques to reduce calculation efforts

27. 27
FlexPlan
06/11/2020
Landscape impact modelling
Air quality modelling
Carbon footprint modelling
Modelling environmental factors

28. 28
FlexPlan
06/11/2020
Fix-and-relax:
a promising temporal decomposition
algorithm
2030 2040 2050
Integer variables Relaxed: x∈[0, 1] Relaxed: x∈[0, 1]Step 1
Fixed integers Integer variables Relaxed: x∈[0, 1]Step 2
Fixed integers Fixed integers Integer variablesStep 3
Adapted from: H. U. Yilmaz, K. Mainzer, D. Keles - Improving the performance of solving large scale
mixed-integer energy system models by applying the fix-and-relax method – EEM 2020 conference

29. • The planning tool needs to receive as an input the planning candidates for the
three years (2030, 2040, 2050) and for each node.
• This input is provided by a software tool (pre-processor) that ranks for each node
the suitability of different kinds of investments (new lines/cables, storage
elements, flexible management of big loads
• To do so, the pre-processor exploit the information provided by Lagrangian
multipliers of line transit constraints and nodal power balance of a non-expanded
minimum cost OPF (they provide information on how much the target function
would improve as a consequence of a unit relaxation of the constraint).
Non-expanded
OPF
Pre-processor Planning tool
Lagrange
multipliers
Planning
candidates
29
FlexPlan
06/11/2020
The Pre-processor

30. 30
FlexPlan
06/11/2020
The Pre-processor
Interaction between pre-processor and planning tool

31. Pan-European and
regional scenarios generation
The main source for the scenarios considered in FlexPlan project is the Ten Year Network Development Plan
(TYNDP) 2020, developed by ENTSO-E, which describes possible trends up to 2050. ENTSO-E’s TYNDP describes three
scenarios:
• National trends
• Distributed Energy
• Global Ambition
that added up over three grid years (2030, 2040, 2050) makes up 9 scenarios to be considered by FlexPlan. For 2050, the
document “A Clean Planet for all” by the EC was also considered.
ENTSO-E’s TYNDP 2018 pan-European transmission grid model (extra-high voltage) is also utilized as a basis for the
FlexPlan simulations. For sub-transmission, public data from Open Street Map sources is used alongside with information
available to the consortium partners.
Synthetic distribution networks are created in order to have a reduced scale model of the real networks. They are created
on the basis of network statistics and with the help of the JRC tool DiNeMo (https://ses.jrc.ec.europa.eu/dinemo).
31
FlexPlan

32. Conclusions
Investments in storage and flexibility will remain mostly in the
hands of private investors.
National Regulatory Authorities should translate the
suitability of deploying new storage or flexibility in strategic
network locations into opportune incentivization to potential
investors.
This complicates the traditional scheme, where System
Operators after carrying out planning analyses were the only
subject entitled to invest.
TSO/DSO
NRA
Investors/
Aggregators
32
FlexPlan is going to provide:
• SOs with a tool to allow optimal contribution of storage and flexibility to grid planning
• NRAs with regulatory guidelines for optimal exploitation of storage and flexibility in planning
FlexPlan

33.  The official web site of the FlexPlan project is: https://flexplan-project.eu/
All project news and other information are posted there
 Project brochure can be downloaded from: https://flexplan-project.eu/wp-
content/uploads/2020/02/FlexPlan_brochure.pdf
 All project publications (deliverables, papers, important presentations) are
publicly downloadable from: https://flexplan-project.eu/publications/
33
FlexPlan
06/11/2020
The FlexPlan web

34. Gianluigi Migliavacca
Contact Information
Affiliation: RSE S.p.A.
Phone: +39 02 3992 5489
Email: gianluigi.migliavacca@rse-web.it
Thank you…
34
FlexPlan
06/11/2020

35. FlexPlan-Project.eu
This presentation reflects only the author’s view and the Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) is not
responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.

36. Project
3606/11/2020

37. 37
CoordiNET at a glance
Project Timeline: 1° of January 2019 – 30° of June 2022
Project Budget and funding : 19.2M€ - 15.1M€
Total number of partners: 23 + 10 Linked Third Parties
Large-scale TSO-DSO-Consumer demonstrations of innovative network
services through demand response, storage and small-scale distributed
generation
Objectives:
 Demonstrate the activation and provision of services through a TSO-
DSO coordination
 Define and test standard products that provide services to the network
operators
 Develop a TSO-DSO-consumer collaboration platform in demonstration
areas to pave the way for the interoperable development of a pan-
European market
Demo areas
Countries involved
The Project
06/11/2020

38. The Consortium
38
Type of company Number of
participants
Company logo
TSO 3
DSO 5
Research Centres and
Universities
7
DSO associations 1
Technology provider 1
Flexibility providers and
aggregators
3
Solution providers 3
06/11/2020

39. 39
Identification of the most valuable coordination
schemes
Different ways of organizing the coordination between system operators. Each
coordination scheme is characterized by roles detailed market design
List of standardized products by service providers
• Balancing
• Congestion management
• Voltage control
• Inertial response
• Black start
• Controlled Islanding
Grid services
 Type of service: Balancing, congestion, voltage control...
 Timeframe: Day ahead, Intra Day and real time
 Type of customers providing the service
DSOs
TSO
Flexibility Platforms
Interface with DSO/TSO
systems, data requirements,
algorithms for market clearing,
demand and generation
forecasting
System-wide
market needs
Local market needs
consumers,
prosumers,
aggregators, storage
and generators
BIDS ACTIVATIONS
Activations
Activations
Project approach
06/11/2020

40. BUC ES-2: Murcia, Albacete, Málaga & Cádiz
Timeframe Market Model
Product
Type
LongTerm
DayAhead
Intraday
NearReal
Time
Local
Central
Common
Multi-Level
Fragmented
Distributed
Capacity
Energy
BUC SE-2: Gotland
BUC SE-1a: Uppland, Skåne & Gotland
BUC GR-1a: Kefalonia & Mesogeia
BUC GR-1b: Kefalonia & Mesogeia
BUC ES-4: Murcia
BUC SE-3: Uppland, Skåne & Gotland
Voltage
control
Balancing
Congestion
management
Controlled
Islanding
BUC ES-3: Murcia, Albacete, Alicante &
Cádiz
BUC SE-1b: V.N.
& Jämtland
BUS ES-1: Murcia, Albacete, Alicante,
Málaga & Cádiz
BUC GR-2a: Kefalonia
BUC GR-2b: Kefalonia
Project ambition
06/11/2020 40

41. Coordination schemes
41
Central & Local
DSO & TSO
DSO & TSO &
External Stakeholder
Peers
𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏 > 𝟏𝟏
Yes Yes No
Common
Integrated
Multi-Level
Fragmented
Distributed
Yes
Central
TSO
1
Yes No
Central
Local
DSO
𝟏𝟏
Local
≥ 𝟏𝟏
Need
Buyer
# Markets
Access?
Market
models
How many markets are utilized to buy flexibilities?
Does the TSO have access to assets on the distribution level?
Resulting Market Model
Who is the primary buyer of the flexibility?
Where is the need located in the system?
06/11/2020

42. Project Update
PHASE 1 PHASE 2 PHASE 3 PHASE 4
Concept Framework:
 Regulation
 TSO & DSO Needs
 DER Capabilities
 Business Uses Cases
 KPI definition
 Sweden:
Demo run and
cascading funds.
 Greece:
Ongoing
 Spain:
Ongoing
 Sweden
 Greece
 Spain
 Improved customer engagement
 Guidelines for an integrated market
platform
 Potential of replicability/scalability
Demo run::
M 1 – M 6
M 12- M 39
M 28 – M 42
M 37 – M 42
PROGRESS
Final Results
collected from
Demos:
Final results and
conclusión:
 Technological, social,
economic and regulatory
aspect
Concept Framework:
 Regulation
 TSO & DSO Needs
 DER Capabilities
 Business Uses Cases
 KPI definition
 Sweden:
Demo run and
cascading funds.
 Greece:
Ongoing
 Spain:
Ongoing
 Sweden
 Greece
 Spain
 Improved customer engagement
 Guidelines for an integrated market
platform
 Potential of replicability/scalability
Demo run::
M 1 – M 6
M 12- M 39
M 28 – M 42
M 37 – M 42
PROGRESS
Final Results
collected from
Demos:
Final results and
conclusión:
 Technological, social,
economic and regulatory
aspect
06/11/2020
42

43. Platform. Concept
Aggregation &
disaggregation
Grid monitoring & operation
Standards for
interoperability
Input/output
data needs
DSOs
TSO
Flexibility Platforms
Interface with DSO/TSO
systems, data requirements,
algorithms for market clearing,
demand and generation
forecasting
System-wide
market needs
Local market needs
consumers,
prosumers,
aggregators, storage
and generators
BIDS ACTIVATIONS
Activations
Activations
Market
operation
Interfaces
06/11/2020
43

44. Aggregation &
disaggregation
Grid monitoring & operation
Market
operation
System-wide &
Local market
needs
consumers,
prosumers,
aggregators, storage
and generators
Activations
Market results
Load
forecasting
RES
forecasting
State
estimation
Real-time
monitoring
System
operation
Metering
Bid
processing
Market
clearing
Results communication
Flexibility
estimation
Bid
creation
Load
forecasting
RES
forecasting
Dispatching
CoordiNet
Platform
FSPs
Real-time status
Regulated
Non-
regulated
Interfaces to be
standardised
Interfaces not to
be standardised
DSOs
TSO
Real-time performance
Platform. Concept
06/11/2020
44

45. Aggregation &
disaggregation
Grid monitoring & operation
Market
operation
System-wide &
Local market
needs
consumers,
prosumers,
aggregators, storage
and generators
Activations
Market results
Load
forecasting
RES
forecasting
State
estimation
Real-time
monitoring
System
operation
Metering
Bid
processing
Market
clearing
Results communication
Flexibility
estimation
Bid
creation
Load
forecasting
RES
forecasting
Dispatching
CoordiNet
Platform
FSPs
Real-time status
Regulated
Non-
regulated
Interfaces to be
standardised
Interfaces not to
be standardised
DSOs
TSO
Real-time performance
Platform. Concept
06/11/2020
45

46. Thank you!
Project coordinator:
Marco Baron: marco.baron2@enel.com
Communication & dissemination leader
Dr. José Pablo Chaves
jose.chaves@comillas.edu
https://coordinet-project.eu/
4606/11/2020

47. Thank you
Nuno Amaro
nuno.amaro@rdnester.com
FlexPlan