Congestion management is a set of measures that grid operators use to actively prevent impending congestion situations. Such a situation arises when the demand for transport capacity—due to peak consumption or large-scale feed-in—exceeds what the local grid can handle.
To prevent this, large business users (with more than 3×80 amperes) are asked to temporarily reduce their electricity consumption or limit their feed-in. The agreements for providing this flexible capacity can be laid down in various contract types—also known as flex products.
Businesses with a large-consumer connection play an important role in preventing overload. We ask them to be flexible with their power use. That sometimes requires adjustments to business processes or investments in technology and data handling.
Participation is currently voluntary. Participants make agreements with their grid operator about the availability of their flexible capacity. This capacity can be requested at fixed times, but flexible arrangements can also be made regarding time windows and volumes.
Taking part in congestion management asks something of you, but it also offers opportunities. Businesses receive financial compensation for providing flexibility and know where they stand for a longer period. Over time, this creates the room needed for more and larger connections.
Through GOPACS, we put businesses in touch with grid operators and service providers, and we ensure their flexibility is deployed effectively. This way, companies can already extract value from their flexibility—and actively contribute to a reliable, future-proof energy system.
Flexibility creates space on the grid. This can allow you to do more with your current connection, or get a (temporary) larger connection sooner.
Grid congestion creates uncertainty. By participating in congestion management now, you help define the terms and stay in control.
Smart management of your electricity usage brings financial benefits. Think of compensation for flexibility or lower costs during negative or peak prices.
Can your production or consumption sites temporarily adjust? Then GOPACS gives you access to a market where flexibility is rewarded. We help you take the first steps, ensure your site is correctly registered, and point you to a suitable service provider. This way, you get more out of your connection and contribute to the grid.
As a CSP, you play a key role in making flexible capacity available. GOPACS supports you through the onboarding process, helps with asset registration and linking, and provides insight into congestion areas and market data. This enables you to serve your customers better and actively contribute to a future-proof energy system.
If the supply of or demand for electricity is greater than the electricity grid in a given region can handle, the grid operator calls on the market to use or generate more or less electricity. The market includes parties such as energy suppliers and aggregators and wholesale customers.
These companies then indicate the price at which they wish to do so, called flex bid (also called congestion bid). If the flex bid is taken, the market participant receives a fee for it.
If we expect congestion, a shortage of transmission capacity, in a given period, we hope to use flex bids from the market to resolve this situation.
If certain customers can temporarily postpone or reduce their consumption or actually increase their consumption, depending on the type of congestion, we hope this will reduce the peak. We also call this “flattening the curve.
If that succeeds then demand or supply no longer exceeds available transmission capacity and the congestion problem of the moment is solved.
The connection must be measurable via an EAN code and equipped with appropriate metering equipment. Reliable and up-to-date measurement data must be available, and the flexible capacity must be controllable on request. In many cases, the flexible capacity must be at least 100 kW to qualify for available contract types.
You can find all information about our congestion products here: www.gopacs.eu/en/products/when-which-product/.
