Net zero funding for ‘flexibility markets unlocked’ study

Funded through the Flexibility Markets Unlocked Programme, the study aims to evaluate the possibility of creating a technical process and a defined set of open protocols to enable distributed energy resources (DER) to provide large-scale electricity system flexibility through smart, accessible technologies and markets.

Funding has been made available through the Flexibility Innovation Programme, which is part of the government’s £1bn Net Zero Innovation Portfolio.

The programme will also support the design of technical solutions that can enable data standardisation and revenue stacking across multiple flexibility markets, allowing a ‘more diverse and competitive’ marketplace.

Arup said that this will help realise the flexibility benefits that exist from Low Carbon Technologies (LCTs) to reduce system costs while also enabling commercial interoperability, for different systems to readily connect and exchange information with one another.

According to Arup, these measures will allow for integrations between buyers and sellers across multiple markets, products, and platforms, to prevent vendor lock-ins and siloed operations while consolidating existing flexibility market developments.

In a statement, Jo-Jo Hubbard, CEO of Electron, said: “Boosting participation in flexibility markets is key to the energy industry’s future. This study really demonstrates the need for standardised processes, more transparency, and better access to the necessary data to influence flexibility market trading going forward.

“Its proposed open ecosystem of services and platforms will incentivise participation in flex markets, lower system costs, and increase revenue stacking opportunities for flex providers – and we’ll bring this to life through our neutral flexibility market platform, ElectronConnect.”

Dr Richard Dobson, business leader digital at Energy Systems Catapult, said they are “committed to ensuring the right shared digital infrastructure is in place to accelerate the energy transition as outlined in the Energy Digitalisation Taskforce.

“We are excited to be working with Arup and Electron, building on the outcomes of the Digital Spine Feasibility Study and Automatic Asset Registration project to develop another important piece of shared digital infrastructure that will help deliver a pro innovation, net zero energy system.”

According to Arup, the programme aims to drive wider use of smart technologies, utilising low carbon energy and intermittent generation sources, such as solar and wind, and help contribute to meeting the target of Net Zero by 2050.