1,721,025 research outputs found
Longitudinal Study of Dispatchable Power Units Trading Strategies on Electricity Spot Markets in Italy
Full text linkOver the past four years, the energy markets have experienced disruptions mainly caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russo-Ukrainian conflict. In this paper, we aim to analyze the distribution of the volume traded by programmable electricity-producing units on the different electricity markets in the north power zone of Italy and its evolution over the 2017–2023 period. We investigate distinct trading profiles and their stability over time, with a focus on periods of disruption. Additionally, we evaluate whether units maintain consistent profiles or exhibit temporal variation in their trading behavior. We employ a cluster analysis approach, incorporating a temporal dimension and considering relative contributions of the different markets to units' traded volume. The study shows that units generally maintain a consistent trading strategy over time, unaffected by the pandemic and the conflict periods. We also highlight that the propensity of a unit to adopt a specific strategy is mainly driven by its technology
Combining Forward-Looking Expenditure Targets and Fixed OPEX-CAPEX Shares for a Future-Proof Infrastructure Regulation: the ROSS Approach in Italy
Full text linkPurpose of Review
Decarbonization of many energy sectors is led by a process of “new electrification”, which poses great challenges to achieve in parallel a timely and cost-effective development of electricity networks. It becomes thus fundamental to assess the best approach on how to successfully regulate new investments in power grids, addressing their development in the general interest of consumers.
Recent Findings
Over the last twenty years, many researchers and practitioners highlighted the bias towards capital intensive investments, induced by regulatory frameworks currently adopted, based on rate-of-return regulation for capital expenditure (CAPEX) and incentive regulation for operational expenditures (OPEX). This issue is exacerbated by the potential of digital-based solutions, that are often overlooked by system operators as they mainly entail operating costs (OPEX), often subject to incentive regulation.
Summary
This work discusses an analytical model, combining total expenditures evaluation with a forward-looking approach (business planning and output-based incentives) and a fixed opex capex share, aiming at overcoming the CAPEX-bias. This is done leveraging on the Italian recent change in infrastructure regulation, introduced by the Italian regulatory authority (ARERA), that builds on a core incentive on productive total efficiency (i.e. CAPEX + OPEX) plus a scheme of output-based rewards and penalties. In the new ROSS (Regolazione per Obiettivi di Spesa e di Servizio) approach, several elements are in place in the first stage (“ROSS base”) to likely mitigate the capital bias effect, even though a more complete approach (“ROSS integrale”), including the forward-looking dimension of planned expenditures, is still under consideration by the Italian regulator
The role of implicit and explicit economic signals for flexibility provision by EV aggregates: technical evidence and policy recommendations
No full textThe diffusion of electric vehicles (EVs) is a key for transport sector decarbonization. This raises concerns on compatibility between EVs and power networks. This work presents a comprehensive analysis of impacts and benefits of EV diffusion on a national power system, i.e., Italy. Demand and
flexibility profiles are estimated. Distribution network planning and power system dispatching are encompassed. Results show that spread of EVs will have localized impacts on power and voltage limits on the distribution network, while consequences on transmission grids and dispatching would be negligible, in terms of power and energy demand. To exploit flexibility from EVs and turn a potential issue into a resource, we propose a set of regulatory and policy advices for promoting a better vehicle-grid integration
Techno-Economic Optimization of Services Stacking for a Battery Participating to Electricity Spot Markets
Full text linkBESS and the ancillary services markets: A symbiosis yet? Impact of market design on performance
Full text linkThe evolution of ancillary services markets (ASM) and balancing products is ongoing. The aim of the evolution is to integrate the products over the national boundaries and to open the ASM to distributed energy resources (DERs). Among DERs, battery energy storage systems (BESS) are increasing their importance. In this work, we investigate by means of numerical simulations the effect of different evolutions in the regulatory framework on the performance of a BESS providing ancillary services. The analyzed regulatory barriers are selected based on ongoing evolution in EU market design. The following parameters are involved: power vs energy-intensive services, symmetry of procurement, time definition and distance to delivery. The considered case study is a BESS associated to a large-scale energy district including load, a cogeneration plant, and a PV plant. Results are given in terms of energy flows, economics, operational efficiency, and reliability of service provision. Where both reliability, provision of large flexibility volumes, and good economic performance are achieved, we say that there is a symbiosis between BESS and the markets. This way, the best ASM arrangements abating regulatory barriers for BESS are defined
Impact of different regulatory approaches in renewable energy communities: A quantitative comparison of european implementations
Full text linkRecently, the uptake of renewable energy has surged in distribution networks, particularly due to the costeffectiveness and modular nature of photovoltaic systems. This has paved the way to a new era of user engagement, embodied by individual and collective self-consumption, and promoted by the EU Directive 2018/ 2001, which advocates for the establishment of Renewable Energy Communities. However, the transposition of this directive varies across Member States, resulting in specific rules for each country. In this work, the impact that different energy sharing models have on the same community is quantitatively assessed. The policy analysis focuses on the regulation of two countries, Italy and Portugal, chosen for the specular ways in which their models operate, respectively virtually and physically. The analysis is supported by a suite of tools which includes two optimization problems for community's operations, one for each analysed regulation, and a set of consumer protection mechanisms, to ensure no member is losing money while in community. Results demonstrate that the sharing model impacts community's optimal operations, optimal battery size and configuration, and members' benefit. As these models are sensitive to different variables, personalized interventions at national level are required
Slow but Steady: Assessing the Benefits of Slow Public EV Charging Infrastructure in Metropolitan Areas
Full text linkVehicle-grid integration (VGI) is critical for the future of electric power systems, with decarbonization targets anticipating millions of electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030. As EV adoption grows, charging demand—particularly during peak hours in cities—may place significant pressure on the electrical grid. Charging at high power, especially during the evening when most EVs are parked in residential areas, can lead to grid instability and increased costs. One promising solution is to leverage long-duration, low-power charging, which can align with typical user behavior and improve grid compatibility. This paper delves into how public slow charging stations (<7.4 kW) in metropolitan residential areas can alleviate grid pressures while fostering a host of additional benefits. We show that, with respect to a reference (22 kW infrastructure), such stations can increase EV user satisfaction by up to 20%, decrease grid costs by 40% owing to a peak load reduction of 10 to 55%, and provide six times the flexibility for energy markets. Cities can overcome the limitation of private garage scarcity with this charging approach, thus fostering the transition to EVs
An optimization model for the provision of flexibility and dispatching resources by multi-vector smart energy districts
Full text linkThe Clean Energy Package expects a fundamental contribute for the decarbonisation of European energy system from Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), pushing Member States to favour the diffusion of energy production plants for individual and collective self-consumption. At the same time, DERs are required to contribute to system security mainly providing dispatching resources. The model developed includes the possibility to provide real-time balancing flexibility in a generic architecture where different energy vectors can be integrated through energy production, consumption and storage facilities. The optimization problem is built over a weekly time horizon with a stepwise approach where internal and external energy exchanges are defined updating meteorological forecasts, energy demands and markets results while approaching real-time operations. According to the Italian Authority consultation document 322/2019, both energy-only and capacity remunerated services are included in the model. The aim of the model is both to estimate the economic opportunities coming from energy markets participation for smart energy districts in the future energy framework, and to assess the actual capability and reliability of diverse DERs aggregates to provide flexibility to the external electric grid. These evaluations are carried out applying the presented model to a university campus case study where different energy conversion and storage plants are integrated at a Distribution Network level
- …
