Centrica says its local energy market is now live and enabling balancing services at both transmission and distribution level.
Under the EU-funded programme, Centrica aims to build a platform that can be scaled up to simultaneously provide services at regional and national levels, potentially internationally.
The aim is to enable distributed energy resource to access national markets in a way that doesn’t conflict with local substations.
To do that, it has worked with Western Power Distribution and National Grid ESO to create a set of rules to ensure conflicting signals are avoided. The platform uses a clearing engine via Belgian firm N-Side, whose algorithms underpin matching on the European day ahead markets.
The result is a pay as cleared market-based mechanism for flex procurement by multiple parties, rather than tendering.
Auctions run from months ahead down to intraday – effectively enabling flex providers to take positions in the market.
See Centrica’s press release here – and a detailed interview here.
Related stories:
Local flex markets: Centrica eyes the prize
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All DNOs commit to considering flex over reinforcement
WPD contracts 119MW of flexibility
WPD signs deal with Piclo to boost flex procurement
SSE to deploy flex across entire network, down to household level
All DNOs trialling Piclo platform
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