Power System Studies in the Clean Energy Era: From Capacity to Flexibility Adequacy Through Research and Innovation

Abstract

A secure and reliable supply of electricity is a necessary requirement of a well-functioning economy. Reducing the likelihood of system disturbances or, in the extreme, load (demand) shedding is a fundamental objective of Transmission System Operators during planning and operation of electricity grids. The integration of new forms of generation - diverse in location and operation profile – as well as rapidly changing demand from new consumer technologies powered by breakthroughs in technology, poses a different set of challenges in their daily business. System flexibility, like many other aspects of the bulk electric system, can be examined as a supply and demand problem. A holistic assessment of flexibility examines the resources available to supply flexibility and the factors driving the demand or requirements for flexibility. This paper aims to highlight the importance of flexibility assessment studies alongside capacity adequacy studies being carried out during system planning. Moreover, the paper will present the challenges facing the electricity networks for integrating high amount of renewable energy which are well expressed by the views of the energy stakeholders regarding priorities for innovation technologies and this is also very well reflected in the research and development projects. The FLEXITRANSTORE project, which is aiming to implement innovative technologies of battery storage solutions, smart grid technologies and market platforms in the SEE region, is briefly presented. Furthermore, a wide review of flexibility-related research and innovation projects in Europe and United States has been carried out during the project and their contribution is presented, analysed and mapped against specific power system challenges. A detailed survey conducted during FLEXITRANSTORE on identifying stakeholders’ opinion on electricity networks’ challenges is presented and commented. Stakeholders’ are stressing that highest priorities for the electricity networks in their country are renewable energy integration, cross border interconnections, grid stability in short- and long-term horizon. These renewables integration and cross border interconnections answers could be also linked with the European targets: To sum up, the paper is identifying significant opportunities for future research and innovation in storage and market models, regarding the inherent flexibility of the electricity networks to host the electrification ‘wave’ of the following decades.