EU-SYSFLEX

Pan-European system with an efficient coordinated use of flexibilities for the integration of a large share of RES. Power and Energy Systems

INESC TEC was a project partner

Funding

Horizon 2020, 20,2M€

Duration

2017—2023

Description EU-Sysflex project aimed on evaluating the EU Power systems under future scenarios of high share of renewables integration, namely on identifying possible problems and constraints, commonly named as system scarcities or system needs. On the other hand, the project described those needs, considering geographic specificities (islanded power systems, EU continental Power Systems), and investigated how new services and its deployment should be designed, not only in technical perspective, but also from market and regulatory aspects. The ultimate goal of EU-Sysflex was designing and demonstrating innovative services, exploiting the intrinsic flexibilities to accommodate more renewable energy, not jeopardising the power system operation and security indexes.

INESC TEC has contributed for the development of the flexibility matrix as well as three tools implemented in Portuguese (2) and German (1) demo sites.
In the Portuguese demo, INESC TEC has developed an active power flexibility tool, which intended on the provision of active power flexibility on a distribution grid, considering the existence of battery energy storage system (BESS) and renewable energy generation (through PV panels), aiming at overcoming technical challenges, such as the voltage rise or congestions on certain feeders. The second tool consisted of the development of a reactive power flexibility tool and was demonstrated in the north of Portugal, over a distribution grid with different renewable energy farms (wind farms). The rationale was to mobilise reactive power, needed for the DSO operation, based on price offers from different stakeholders, in a local market environment, enabling the grid operation at the most favourable cost.
Finally, INESC TEC has also developed a flexibility mapping tool, that was demonstrated on the German demo at Mitnetz Strom dispatch center. This tool allowed the DSO to visually quantify the available flexibility ranges (P&Q) on different TSO-DSO, connection points, considering a meshed distribution grid architecture.

Scientific Advances

The EU-SYSFLEX advanced on the analysis of future power systems with high share of RES, to identify the so-called: system starcities and based on that and available services will make a correspondence for the development or adaptation of system services.
In the framework of tools, INESCTEC played an important role on developing tools to be further demonstrated and used by system operators to:
1 – Evaluated the existing flexibilities available on distribution grids (PQ maps) – even meshed grids.
2- Market-based tool to mobilize flexibility complying with system constraints
3 – Support on the design of the flexibility matrix

Impact

INESC TEC was able to achieve all the proposed advances, having demonstrated the PQ maps for meshed-grids (1), developed the Market-based tools for mobilizing flexibility on distribution grids (2) and finally has contributed on the design and filling of the EU-SYSFLEX flexibility matrix, which is an important achievement for the roadmap drafting and for the stakeholders which may understand what type of requirements must be complied for a safe RES integration depending on the penetration level and geography (continental, islanded system, etc).

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