September 27, 2023


Flexibility for Resilience – policy message

Power system infrastructure is becoming more digitally connected to ensure safer, more efficient, and decarbonized future. The challenge is that this infrastructure is becoming increasingly vulnerable the more connected it becomes. As geopolitical tensions and security of energy supply shape power system this decade, energy professionals are ready to offer different solutions to keep the lights on towards a reliable and resilient future.

The key policy message prepared based on the ISGAN and IEA Digital Demand-Driven Electricity Networks (3DEN) cooperation initiative and an international high-level expert workshop “Flexibility for resilience in integrated systems”, to enhance international collaboration and research, share best practices and provide policy guidance on deploying flexibility for resilience.


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September 20, 2023


WEBINAR: Enticing residential consumers to become electricity flexibility providers

25 October 2023 13:00 CEST - ISGAN Virtual Learning invites you to this webinar on enticing residential consumers to become electricity flexibility providers

Many studies have attested the manifold barriers that residential consumers find to become providers of flexibility services. A research with consumers shows unmet needs that can be tapped unto to create value for consumers. In the BeFlexible project we propose five value propositions that can be used to sell flexibility services to residential consumers.

More info on https://beflexible.eu/

Once registered, please check your email inbox and ensure that the invitation email is not marked as spam. Please add “isgan@comillas.edu” and “newsletter@iea-isgan.org” to your email whitelist.

Intended audience

Policy makers, senior and junior engineers, ESCOs and aggregators.

Key messages

Flexibility provision creates value for consumer.

Five value propositions to entice consumers to become flexibility providers.

Further information


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September 20, 2023


WEBINAR: Optimal bidding and operation of DVPPs under uncertainties

18 October 2023 12:00 CEST - ISGAN Virtual Learning invites you to this webinar on optimal bidding and operation of DVPPs under uncertainties

In this webinar, recent results on the optimal bidding and operation of DVPPs considering different types of uncertainties will be presented. Energy and ancillary service market participation is defined by means of a novel robust optimization algorithm. Energy and service provision are then guaranteed close-to-real-time through a continuous optimal redispatch tool.

More info on https://posytyf-h2020.eu/

Once registered, please check your email inbox and ensure that the invitation email is not marked as spam. Please add “isgan@comillas.edu” and “newsletter@iea-isgan.org” to your email whitelist.

Intended audience

Researchers, policy makers and regulatory agents, practitioners, system operators, and other Power system engineers, from students to senior experts.

Key messages

The new DVPP concept fully integrates the dynamic aspects at all levels: locally (for each RES generator), globally (for grid ancillary services and interaction with other neighbour elements of the grid) and economically (for internal optimal dispatch and participation to electricity markets)

A DVPP is a set of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) along with a set of control and operation procedures. This means methodologies for:

  • choosing the participating RES, optimal and continuous operation as a whole (especially in case of loss of natural resources – e.g., wind, sun – on a part of the DVPP),
  • regulation (in the dynamic sense) to ensure local objectives for each generator,
  • participation to ancillary services of the DVPP as a unit and to diminish negative effects of interaction with neighbour dynamics elements of the power system,
  • integration in both actual power systems scenarios (with mixed classic and power electronics-based generation) and future ones with high degree of RES penetration

Further information


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August 2, 2023


Registration Open: FLEXIBILITY FOR RESILIENCE AND POWER SYSTEM STAKEHOLDER INTERACTION: INSIGHTS FROM PILOT PROJECTS

Register now for the Workshop taking place on the 29th of September in Utrecht, the Netherlands and engage in discussion and collaboration to address the topics related to flexibility and power system resilience.

The electrical energy system is transitioning in the way that electricity is generated, transmitted and distributed. Due to these changes, system operators are faced with various challenges (technical, ICT, regulatory and economic) to accommodate new technologies due to the drive toward modern power systems. However, these changes have also allowed for the increased opportunity for system development and the inclusion of new market players. Flexibility will provide network operators (together with other stakeholders such as prosumers, aggregators, etc.) with the possibly to increase the stability of the electrical system and ensure the safe, secure and reliably of supply. Stakeholder interaction is key to facilitate and enable the integration and utilization of flexibility in future power systems. Furthermore, flexibility has traditionally been utilised in the operation stage, for balancing power flows, solve congestions, maintain stability; now, the next level of flexibility can be defined and deployed since the power system planning stage, being integrated into procedures for long-term planning and correspondent market mechanisms for procuring and adequately reward the flexibility providers also in terms of resilience increase.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

  • Engage in discussion and collaboration to address the topics related to flexibility and power system resilience
  • Share experiences and lessons learned based on the outcomes of various pilot projects related to stakeholder interaction
  • Share best practices on the topic of “Flexibility for resilience” in integrated systems, through collaboration.
  • The information collected from the workshop will be incorporated into dissemination material (policy briefs, discussion paper, etc)

When? 29th of September 09:00-15:00 Where? Koningsbergerstraat 9, 3531 AJ  Utrecht, the Netherlands

AGENDA

 09:00 09:15 Welcome and introduction
09:15 10:00 Presentation 1: Flexibility for resilience

Presentation 2: Stakeholder interaction

10:00 10:15 Break
10:15 12:00 Interactive session – Part 1
12:00 12:30 Lunch
12:30 15:00 Interactive session – Part 2
15:00 End

***Note: Due to limited seating capacity we cannot guarantee that your registration will allow for your participation in the workshop. Workshop participants will receive an official confirmation.

CONTACT

Irina Oleinikova: irina.oleinikova[at]ntnu.no
Barbara Herndler: barbara.herndler[at]ait.ac.at


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July 29, 2023


WEBINAR: The grid planning process as an enabler for the energy transition

19 September 2023 14:00 CEST - ISGAN Virtual Learning invites you to this webinar on the grid planning process as an enabler for the energy transition

This webinar presents the challenges and solutions related to the long term grid planning process in order to have a process that is an enabler for the energy transition.

Different aspects are considered such as:

  • How to handle uncertainty, complexity, new risks and threats
    • what to consider and tools to use
  • What regulatory adaptations are required?
  • How to maintain a competent, capable and resilient workforce?
  • How to ensure efficient stakeholder interaction?

The webinar will also provide information about the knowledge sharing process.

Once registered, please check your email inbox and ensure that the invitation email is not marked as spam. Please add “isgan@comillas.edu” and “newsletter@iea-isgan.org” to your email whitelist.

Intended audience

The foreseen audience of this webinar are policy makers and stakeholders that impacts or are impacted by the grid planning process: Network operators (TSO/DSO), network planning engineers, researchers, regulators, etc.

Key messages

To overcome the complexities and uncertainties challenging the grid planning efficient, transparent and legitimate planning processes are required that are guided by sound principles and effective steering mechanisms.

It is critical that grid planning aligns with and acts as an enabler for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) e.g. regarding scenarios utilized and grid development plans developed.

Existing cost-benefit analyses should be updated to properly capture the values of sufficient grid capacity and account for social, environmental, and resilience metrics.

Stakeholder interaction is needed at all levels of the grid planning process and in co-creating solutions, methods and tools that are needed to manage the various challenges.

Further information

Once registered, please check your email inbox and ensure that the invitation email is not marked as spam. Please add “isgan@comillas.edu” and “newsletter@iea-isgan.org” to your email whitelist.


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ISGAN has launched a new Policy Brief focusing on future-proofing grid planning processes to accelerate the energy transition. The Policy Brief was developed as part of the ISGAN knowledge sharing project (KSP) on Network Planning under Uncertainty and was launched at an official side event during the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM-14) /Mission Innovation Ministerial (MI-8), hosted in Goa, India. The event was hosted by the Indian Ministry of Power and the Department of Science and Technology.

The key policy messages of the Policy Brief were presented during an official side event to CEM-14/MI-8 titled: “CEM ISGAN – MI GPFM collaboration for power system transformation, with special focus on policy and private sector engagement.”

For further information on the Network Planning Under Uncertainty project, please contact:

  • Helena Lindquist, ISGAN Communication Working Group, Task 3: Structured Knowledge Exchange
  • Susanne Ackeby, ISGAN Working Group 6, Power Transmission & Distribution Systems

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July 19, 2023


The 14th Clean Energy Ministerial and 8th Mission Innovation meeting (CEM14/MI-8)

The 14th Clean Energy Ministerial and 8th Mission Innovation meeting (CEM14/MI-8) is scheduled to take place in Goa, India between 19th to 22nd of July, 2023.

Scheduled on the margins of the G20 Energy Transitions Ministerial Meeting (ETMM), this year’s Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) and Mission Innovation (MI) meetings will bring together, governments, international organizations, private sector, academia, innovators, civil society, and early career researchers and policymakers over a four-day program featuring high-level ministerial dialogues, global initiative launches, award announcements, minister-CEO roundtables, and a wide array of side-events cutting across diverse themes of clean energy transition. CEM14/MI8 will also feature a public facing technology showcase demonstrating cutting edge advances in clean energy from India and around the world.

ISGAN will organize several events during the meeting:

CEM ISGAN – MI GPFM collaboration for power system transformation, with special focus on policy and private sector engagement

Date 20 July 2023
Time 09:00-10:30 [90mins]
Venue Salao 3

Description

Power systems transformation is a core pillar of net zero transitions and a key CEM-MI focus.
The event will showcase the collaboration between ISGAN and the GPFM following to the MoU signature at CEM13/MI-7 in Pittsburgh. The event will also represent a great opportunity to explore effective ways to drive the public-private sector engagement, as well as to underline the commitment of private sector stakeholders on the ISGAN and GPFM activities. The GPFM will showcase its innovation strategy and Flagship Projects’ activities, while ISGAN will present its last outcomes and will release the KSP workshop/Inter-Working Groups reports. The event will also bring together Minister-level/Senior Officials and CEOs/CTOs in a collaborative environment to express their thoughts, opinions, and perspectives for advancing private sector engagement.
The outcomes from this side event are meant to bolster GPFM and ISGAN collaboration supporting the flexibility of the power market and digitalization of the electricity grid.

CEM-MI collaboration for technology innovation and implementation, policy, and regulatory actions to rapidly decarbonize power systems

Date 20 July 2023
Time 1500-1630 [90mins]
Venue Salao 2

Description

The event will showcase collaboration among ISGAN, 21CPP, GPFM, and RD20, as well as the challenges towards power system decarbonization. It will include 1 keynote/scene setting presentation by IEA or IRENA. ISGAN, 21CPP, GPFM, and RD20 will showcase their synergy and innovation strategy, main activities, and related outcomes. A high-level Roundtable on power will be held, addressing implementation, technology innovation, and policy and regulatory actions to rapidly decarbonize power systems. Concluding remarks/key recommendations will be provided by 21CPP and/or ISGAN and/or GPFM and/or RD20 Leads.


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July 19, 2023


Join us for the 9th ISGAN Awards of Excellence

Attending #CEM14MI8 in Goa, India? Join us for the 9th ISGAN Awards of Excellence, sponsored by the International Smart Grid Action Network (ISGAN), in partnership with the Global Smart Energy Federation (GSEF).

Friday 21st July, 17:30 to 18:30, Ballroom 1

Each year, the ISGAN awards recognize the innovation, integration, and transformation of smart grid systems and policy. This year, we recognize projects that demonstrated excellence in the application of Artificial Intelligence in the electricity sector. The winners and honorees represent a range of fascinating AI applications that include detecting and diagnosing future incidents in the grid, developing and validating virtual power plants to support peer-to-peer market participation, improving the financial and operational efficiency of distribution system operators, and forecasting for distributed energy resources (DERs).

Stay tuned for our announcements, interviews, and webinars with the winners of this year’s awards.

 


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The ongoing energy transition brings about profound changes to electricity generation, transmission, and consumption. As societies strive for zero carbon emissions and increasingly rely on electrification, substantial investments must be made to upgrade and expand electricity grids. This includes adopting new digital smart grid technologies. In this era of rapid grid infrastructure transformation, efficient, transparent, and sustainable planning processes aligned with the UN Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are crucial.

Recognizing the importance of effective grid planning processes for building sustainable electricity grids, ISGAN has undertaken the knowledge sharing project (KSP) titled “Network Planning Under Uncertainty” from September 2022 to July 2023. This project brought together a group of experts and practitioners from 12 countries, along with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), to exchange knowledge and collaboratively develop policy guidance that supports the establishment of robust network planning practices worldwide.

Throughout the project, representatives from transmission and distribution system operators, policymakers, and research institutions engaged in a structured and highly interactive process. They focused on identifying some of the root causes and consequences of various types of uncertainties and complexities in the grid planning process. With the Sustainable Development Goals as the guiding framework, the project then identified key objectives and success factors aimed to address barriers and bottlenecks in network planning.

A significant outcome of the Network Planning Under Uncertainty project is a Policy Brief that serves as a guiding document for policymakers and stakeholders in the sector. This Policy Brief provides actionable recommendations to develop future-proof planning processes, including effective management of uncertainties and complexities inherent in electricity infrastructure.

By leveraging the collective expertise and experiences of diverse stakeholders, the ISGAN Policy Brief offers guidance for policymakers and sector stakeholders to navigate the complexities of grid planning, paving the way for resilient, sustainable, and future-ready electricity infrastructure.

For further information on the Network Planning Under Uncertainty project, please contact:

  • Helena Lindquist, ISGAN Communication Working Group, Task 3: Structured Knowledge Exchange
  • Susanne Ackeby, ISGAN Working Group 6, Power Transmission & Distribution Systems

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May 22, 2023


WEBINAR: Enhancing cross-border power connections: the FARCROSS & TRINITY experience

15 June 2023 13:00 CEST - ISGAN Virtual Learning invites you to this webinar on the FARCROSS & TRINITY projects experience.

Cross-border power flow capacities are identified as key enablers of market integration in Europe, and thus one of the main facilitators of the integration of renewable energy. Horizon2020 projects FARCROSS and TRINITY aims to enhance the cross-border capacities in the South-Eeastern European region, using optimalization solutions and grid enhancing technologies.

Once registered, please check your email inbox and ensure that the invitation email is not marked as spam. Please add “isgan@comillas.edu” and “newsletter@iea-isgan.org” to your email whitelist.

Intended audience

– Policy makers (regional, EU)
– Other Horizon project consortiums
– TSOs
– Other experts in the smart energy domain

Key messages

1) Cross – border power transmission connections in the SEE countries typically suffer from congestion, lack of contingency and market inconsistencies. At the same time, the available RES aren’t injected to the transmission corridors in a cost – effective and secure way, making the need for transmission asset upgrade vital.

2) The 2 projects – FARCROSS and TRINITY – are developing and testing solutions with a different approach. On a software level, T – SENTINEL (TRINITY) remedies grid overloading conditions,. On a hardware level, among other solutions, SmartValves (FARCROSS) are introduced as a means to divert power flows from congested lines. The utilization of both technologies can be expected to offer significant improvements in terms of flexibility, making the cross-border connections more robust and adaptive to the evolution of the electrical power industry.

Further information

https://farcross.eu/

https://trinityh2020.eu/

Once registered, please check your email inbox and ensure that the invitation email is not marked as spam. Please add “isgan@comillas.edu” and “newsletter@iea-isgan.org” to your email whitelist.


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March 31, 2023


Webinar: ISGAN Award 2022 – Excellence of EV Integration in Smart Grid

20 April 2023 - 10:00 CEST - ISGAN Virtual Learning invites to this webinar presenting the winners of the 8th ISGAN Award competition

The annual ISGAN Awards of Excellence recognize excellence in smart grid projects around the world. At the 8th Award competition, ISGAN honored excellence on the theme: “EV Integration in Smart Grid,” in partnership with the Global Smart Energy Federation (GSEF).

The honorees will share project highlights that can be adapted or adopted in other markets and regions. By showcasing exemplars in the global smart grid community, the event will promote exchange of lessons learned and emerging best practice, as well as the creation of a shared understanding of the value that smarter, more flexible electricity systems can bring.

Intended audience

Policy makers, Junior / Senior engineers / Students

Key messages

In most low-carbon scenarios, electric vehicle (EV) integration is a critical vector for decarbonization of transport. However, effective EV integration presents a variety of high-stakes, technical challenges for electricity network operators that must be resolved for that promise to be realized at a speed and scale consistent with global climate and clean energy objectives. EV charging is a considerable load on the electric grid that can impact the power quality. This webinar would draw your attention to the role that smart grids play for making EV integration possible.

Further information

ISGAN Award 2022 – Excellence of EV Integration in Smart Grid


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March 29, 2023


25th meeting of the ISGAN Executive Committee

The 25th meeting of the ISGAN Executive Committee took place in Berlin, Germany from 20th-22nd March 2023.

ISGAN Vice-Chair Wickie Lassen Agdal

ISGAN welcomes its new Vice-Chair Wickie Lassen Agdal, delegate from Denmark. Wickie has been programme manager with the Danish Energy Agency since 2017 and has been the national delegate for Denmark in ISGAN since 2019. Wickie says that she embraces her new role as ISGAN Vice Chair as the experience in the ExCo so far has been very enlightening – Her hope is to get more involved, and she will contribute with her knowledge about the topic of Smart Grids and the electricity system. Apart from the new Vice-Chair, ISGAN’s leadership team currently consists of one Chair, Luciano Martini, Italy and two vice-Chairs Russell Conklin, USA and Arun Kumar Mishra, India.

ISGAN also welcomed a  guest participant, Emily Mitchell from the Photovoltaic Power Systems TCP (PVPS) who provided an overview of the recent highlights and publications based on current topics of PVPS. Furthermore, ISGAN’s input was sought for setting up a new task in PVPS concerning system integration of PV.

One focus of the meeting was the six Working Groups of ISGAN. Their strengths and challenges were focused on and further even stronger cooperation between the working groups on an urgent topic is planned.

Further plans were made for ISGAN to contribute with several highly relevant workshops to the upcoming Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) Events in India later this year.

Two Side-Events completed the ExCo meeting. The first took place before the meeting and focused on the national priorities and strategies of ISGAN’s participating countries. Valuable input from this side-event provided the foundation for further discussions and steered the direction for topics in which ISGAN should increase its focus.

The second side event was the Knowledge Sharing Project workshop on Network Planning under Uncertainties. More details about this workshop and the whole project with high international participation can be found here.

The Executive Committee of ISGAN will reconvene for the 26th meeting in September 2023 in The Netherlands.

ISGAN Executive Committee Members during ExCo 25 in Berlin

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February 6, 2023


Flexibility harvesting and its impact on stakeholders interaction – final report

Globally, the energy sector is continuously striving towards the most reliable, cost- effective environmentally friendly production, transmission and distribution of energy. Recent regulatory frameworks have prompted the urgent strive to become carbon neutral and with an increase in the transition to sustainable energy resources.

Within the ever-changing modern power system, power flows are increasingly transitioning towards becoming controllable and bi-directional. The modern power systems are faced with increased challenges pertaining to the integration of new technologies and devices. On the one hand, the need to integrate highly volatile and decentralised renewable energy sources (such as photovoltaic and wind), while on the other hand, power systems are seeing an increase in loads and capacity due to electrification of the transport, storage and heating/cooling sector (e.g., electric vehicles and heat pumps). Additionally, a change in consumer behaviour and evolving markets are also influencing this transition Such activities create increasing complexities and challenges due to the unpredictability in power flows within the power system. In order to overcome these challenges, system operators are relying on the use of flexibility which offer a wide range of opportunities and sought-after solution by providing a wide range of important services, which can enable system operators in operating their networks in a more efficient and cost-effective manner. However, utilisation of these resources to their full potential requires increased coordination between all relevant stakeholders in the power system. This increased interaction will not only allow for system operators to support each other in the optimal use of their respective grids, but also ensure that operating strategies in one network do not have any negative impact on the other. Furthermore, increased interactions with large and small system end users will allow for increased participation and therefore increased opportunities available from flexible resources.


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February 6, 2023


Flexibility harvesting and its impact on stakeholder interaction – Explained

Within the global context, the electrical energy system is transitioning in the way that electricity is generated, transmitted and distributed. Due to these changes, system operators are faced with various challenges (technical, ICT, regulatory and economic) to accommodate new technologies due to the drive toward modern power systems. However, these changes have also allowed for the increased opportunity for system development and the inclusion of new market players. Flexibility will provide network operators (together with other stakeholders such as prosumers, aggregators, etc.) with the possibility to increase the stability of the electrical system and ensure a safe, secure and reliable supply. Stakeholder interaction is key to facilitate and enable the integration and utilization of flexibility in future power systems.

The following video presents the concepts related to the electricity transition and the challenges faced by system operators when integrating flexibility into their networks. Furthermore, through the implementations of coordination schemes, systems operators can work together in order to ensure the safe, secure and reliable electric systems of the future.


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Building on the successes of past knowledge sharing projects on smart grid solutions, ISGAN has now embarked on an ambitious international initiative focused on how to best achieve adequate power grids in line with global sustainable development goals.

Engaging representatives from Transmission and Distribution System Operators, policy makers and research institutions in 13 countries as well as IRENA (the International Renewable Energy Agency), the Network Planning and Decision-Making under Uncertainty project deep-dives into the complex, multifaceted, and challenging task of developing network infrastructure as an enabler of low-carbon electricity, in a quickly evolving energy landscape.

During the first stages of the knowledge sharing process, experts have shared their insights and experiences regarding the sources and nature of uncertainty and complexity in network planning. The project now turns to co-creating concrete and globally relevant policy advice aimed to increase the ability of relevant stakeholders to deal with the inherent uncertainty and complexity in the network planning process.

 

The year-long project that kicked off in September 2022, involves a series of interlinked activities, including both digital and in-person workshops, as well as analytical tasks. The objective is to produce actionable policy advice in time for the next Clean Energy Ministerial Meeting (CEM14, July 2023 in Bengaluru, India). Next up is an intensive and highly interactive 2-day workshop in Berlin, 23-24 March, held in conjunction with the 25th meeting of the ISGAN Executive Committee.

 

For more information, please contact:

  • ISGAN Communication Working Group/Structured Knowledge Exchange: Helena Lindquist
  • ISGAN Working Group 6, Power Transmission & Distribution Systems: Susanne Ackeby

 


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