Redefining Flexibility Sourcing: Moving Beyond Cost-Driven Flexibility to a Holistic, Effectiveness-Focused Model for Grid Management

Redefining Flexibility Sourcing: Moving Beyond Cost-Driven Flexibility to a Holistic, Effectiveness-Focused Model for Grid Management‍

At SMPnet, we’re known for pioneering advanced grid management solutions that empower utilities to optimize their operations—from stability and resilience to renewable integration and real-time control. Our Omega suite brings powerful applications for real-time flexibility coordination and more, meeting the challenges posed by distributed energy resources (DERs) and renewables head-on. As DSOs tackle fluctuating demands and the complexities of decentralized grids, we see this as an opportunity to redefine flexibility sourcing and deployment. 

The Limitation of Cost-Driven Flexibility Sourcing

Currently, flexibility markets rely heavily on cost as the primary factor in procuring flexibility services. However, this model often ignores critical technical factors, such as location-specific needs and operational effectiveness, essential for resolving real-time grid constraints. The result? Limited or imprecise flexibility deployments that risk grid reliability and operational costs.

A Shift in Flexibility Sourcing: Precision and Physics-Informed Flexibility Sourcing Over Price

Omega’s design goes beyond these limitations, introducing a physics- and grid status-informed, effectiveness-focused approach. Integrating seamlessly with Flex Marketplaces, Omega utilizes tools like Optisys—our digital twin-enabled optimization technology—to analyse, forecast, and manage flexibility precisely, with higher granularity on the power profiles, while taking into account the real-time status of the grid; effectively making sure that flexibility is deployed where and when it’s needed.

This three-step process powers Omega suite’s unique approach to flexibility coordination: 

        1.        Targeted Technical Need Identification: Omega suite, through its physics-informed digital twin capabilities, assesses the grid for technical issues like overloads or voltage violations, pinpointing where flexibility can be most impactful.

        2.       Optimal Power Flow (OPF) Analysis for Effectiveness-Based Matching: Omega suite’s OPF evaluates offers based on location, cost, and operational impact, ensuring activated flexibility aligns with real grid needs.

        3.       Streamlined Communication with flex marketplaces for Rapid Action: Once the optimal flexibility solutions are identified, Omega suite communicates seamlessly with the flex marketplace to dispatch the flexibility to service providers in real time. This ensures swift, precise action, minimizing response times and maximizing operational effectiveness.

This automation frees DSO engineers to focus on higher-priority operations towards keeping the lights on! All while ensuring that the core business-as-usual operations of flex marketplaces remain unaffected.

The Benefits of an Effectiveness-Based Approach on Flexibility Sourcing

By centring flexibility sourcing on effectiveness rather than cost alone, Omega provides substantial, long-term advantages:

·       Enhanced Grid Stability: Precision-driven flexibility activation addresses core technical challenges, including the mitigation of voltage violations, balancing feeder loading, and optimizing power routing options. Omega suite ensures proactive identification and resolution of potential issues. This comprehensive approach enables DSOs to maintain stable, resilient networks capable of adapting to the complexities of modern energy systems.

·       Cost Efficiency with Minimal Investment: Targeted, effective sourcing reduces both CAPEX and OPEX by deploying only the necessary resources, eliminating redundant spending and deferring costly network reinforcements.

·       Scalability and Sustainability: Omega suite’s model is not just an enabler but a necessity for DSOs aiming to integrate higher levels of renewables into the grid. Without SMPnet’s physics-informed and precision-driven approach, flexibility risks becoming another unmanaged burden, amplifying grid challenges rather than solving them. Omega suite transforms flexibility from a fragmented challenge into a seamlessly integrated asset, ensuring scalability by optimizing dispatch and dynamically adapting to real-time grid conditions.

·       Autonomous Operations: Omega bridges the gap between automated flexibility marketplaces and the manual, resource-intensive processes faced by DSOs. By seamlessly integrating flexibility needs identification, grid performance monitoring, and platform updates, Omega eliminates the need for manual interventions. It automates the entire workflow—from calculating flex requirements to dispatching and monitoring performance—empowering DSOs to focus on strategic priorities while ensuring efficient, real-time flexibility management. 

Setting a New Standard for Flexibility

The energy sector is at a turning point, and flexibility sourcing must evolve to meet the challenges of decentralized grid management. SMPnet is leading this transformation, not in theory but in practice. With projects like our collaboration with NPg on real-time flexibility coordination (read more here), Omega suite is demonstrating its unmatched ability to deliver results in live energy networks.

Flexibility marketplaces have immense potential but require significant evolution to scale effectively and avoid becoming bottlenecks in grid management. Current systems often demand manual interventions, making flexibility harder to manage than it should be. Omega suite addresses these challenges head-on, streamlining the process and enabling flexibility to become a true cornerstone of scalable, resilient, and sustainable grid management.

The era of cost-driven and fragmented flexibility is ending. As the energy landscape rapidly shifts, those adopting effectiveness-based flexibility sourcing will be best positioned to thrive. Omega suite’s proven capabilities offer DSOs and marketplaces an opportunity to stay ahead of the curve, ensuring they remain leaders in the transition to cleaner, smarter grids.

This is an invitation to join a growing movement. Let SMPnet help you unlock the full potential of flexibility and take your operations to the next level. Together, we can set the standard for a resilient and sustainable energy future.

Beyond Flexibility: The Full Omega Suite

While Omega suite’s role in flexibility sourcing is pivotal, it’s only one facet of SMPnet’s comprehensive approach to grid management. Omega suite’s real-time analytics, adaptive optimisation, digital twins, and coordinated control systems provide DSOs with the full capability to manage stability, meet dynamic energy demands, and seamlessly integrate renewable resources.

By embedding flexibility into a broader, physics- and grid status-informed system, Omega suite enables DSOs to achieve a complete grid management strategy that goes beyond cost efficiency to focus on resilience, precision, and sustainability.

SMPnet’s vision extends far beyond flexibility. We’re building a resilient energy future by equipping DSOs with comprehensive tools to manage grid integrity across all functions. By uniting Omega suite’s versatility with effectiveness-driven strategies, SMPnet is leading the way in creating a modernised, sustainable grid—ready to meet the demands of tomorrow.

Join the transformation. Whether you’re a DSO seeking to future-proof your grid or a flexibility marketplace aiming to unlock your full potential, now is the time to act. Contact us today to explore how SMPnet can help you stay ahead and lead in the era of smart, sustainable energy systems.
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References:
1.    Northern Powergrid Collaboration: https://www.smpnet.tech/post/energy-industry-first-for-real-time-flexibility-coordination
‍2.    National Grid Call for Action: https://www.nationalgrid.co.uk/downloads-view-reciteme/649890