Challenges and Opportunities of Flexibility Markets Related to Operational Planning

A key element for the effective integration of renewable and decentralized energy sources into the power system is the use of flexibility from distributed resources for market participation or the provision of grid services. There are already some studies on 1) how system planners can adapt their strategies and 2) how they can take advantage of accessing local flexibility markets. Yet, little research has addressed these questions from an international stakeholder perspective. In this
paper, we access insights from European and non-European systems, markets, and pilots to understand issues and implications of flexibility market design. To lay a common basis for the identification of challenges and opportunities of using flexibility markets, and the associated changes to operational planning, we evaluate different electricity market designs and systems. We present our findings from comparing international TSOs and DSOs views on future planning principles and barriers for increasing the use of distributed flexibility.