Press Release:

50Hertz and TenneT test Equigy Blockchain Platform for redispatch processes involving household systems.

Bayreuth/Berlin, December 3, 2020 – The two transmission system operators 50Hertz and TenneT will jointly launch sustainable concepts in Germany to integrate small decentralised generators and storage facilities into redispatch. Consumers have the opportunity to actively support the redispatch of the transmission system operators with the help of aggregated flexibility potentials and thus make a contribution to the energy transition. Flexible systems include heat pumps, battery storage, electric vehicles and micro-CHP systems.

The new integration capacity, combined with aggregate flexibility potential, will give consumers the opportunity to actively support a grid operators’ redispatch and thus contribute to the energy transition. Flexible systems include heat pumps, battery storage, electric vehicles and micro-CHP installations. 

One approach to be tested in the project concerns the use of the Crowd Balancing Platform developed by Equigy. This Blockchain-based platform enables private households and owners of electric vehicles to offer the flexible capacity of their systems, via their electricity suppliers and aggregators, on the system service markets for the stabilisation the electricity grid. 

Dr. Dirk Biermann, Managing Director of Markets and System Operation at 50Hertz, explains: “With the progressive digitalisation of the energy transition, the roll-out of intelligent metering systems and the development of new communication standards and interfaces there will be  greater opportunities in the next 10 years to incorporate even the smallest of flexibilities into our processes. In order to be able to serve the energy industry processes and market participants, on the one hand we need scalable and efficient platforms that aggregate hundreds of thousands of units and at the same time can process large data flows. On the other hand, it is important to further develop coordinated data exchange and retrieval processes between all system operators. Both topics should be worked on in the project with the involvement of other partners.”

Tim Meyerjürgens, COO of TenneT, explained: “In a sustainable energy future, we also need private households to maintain security of supply. The Equigy Blockchain Platform, together with the co-operation of European TSOs, will pave the way for utilisation of small decentralised flexibilities in Europe. The endeavour constitutes an important contribution to sector coupling and helps to secure the transformation of the energy supply system.”

Underlying the activities of German and European TSO’ s is the awareness that, in the future, there will be increasingly less conventional fossil-fuel power plant capacity available to balance the fluctuations in electricity generation and consumption, and to offset grid congestion. The flexibility potential provided by millions of decentralised micro-systems can therefore make an important contribution to system stability. 

The Equigy Platform, a consortium of European TSO’s,  offers flexibility providers a non-discriminatory accessible IT infrastructure to efficiently design the data and information flows necessary to provide system services based on small-scale flexibilities. The cooperation between the two transmission system operators 50Hertz and TenneT will focus on integrating micro-systems with an output of less than 100 kW into redispatch, i.e. systems that are not currently subject to legally binding participation in Redispatch 2.0. In addition to the actual implementation of a pilot environment, the cooperation will therefore also address regulatory issues in order to create the necessary incentives for micro-systems to participate in redispatch.

Press Contact: 

TenneT TSO GmbH
Ulrike Hörchens
T +49 921 50740 4045
M +49 151 1713 1120
ulrike.hoerchens@tennet.eu 

50Hertz Transmission GmbH
Volker Gustedt
T +49 30 5150 2878
M +49 151 5537 7634
volker.gustedt@50hertz.com 

About TenneT:

TenneT is a leading European TSO. We design, build, maintain and operate the high and ultra-high voltage grid in the Netherlands and large parts of Germany, making the European energy market possible. We are committed to ensuring a secure and reliable electricity supply 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, both now and in the future, and to furthering the energy transition. Our 23,500 kilometres of high and ultra-high voltage lines in the Netherlands and Germany make it possible for us to provide a reliable and secure supply of electricity to 42 million consumers, while always maintaining a balance between electricity supply and demand. With almost 5,000 employees we achieve EUR 4.1 billion in revenue and have assets valued at around EUR 23 billion. TenneT is one of the largest investors in national and international electricity networks both on land and offshore. As a responsible, committed and interconnected company, we act with the needs of society in mind. Taking power further.

About 50Hertz:

50Hertz operates the electricity transmission grid in northern and eastern Germany and is expanding it to meet the demands of the energy transition. Our ultra-high voltage grid has a circuit length of around 10,490 kilometres, which is equal to the distance from Berlin to Rio de Janeiro. The 50Hertz grid area covers the German States of Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia as well as the City States of Berlin and Hamburg. The 50Hertz workforce of around 1,300 employees ensures a round-the-clock electricity supply for 18 million people in these regions. 50Hertz is also a leader in the secure integration of renewable energies: Over 60 percent of the electricity consumed in our grid area currently comes from renewable sources, and we aim to securely integrate 100 percent renewables into our grid and system by 2032. The shareholders of 50Hertz are the listed Belgian holding company Elia Group (80 percent) and KfW Bankengruppe (20 percent). As European Transmission System Operator, 50Hertz is a member of the European ENTSO-E association.

About Equigy

Equigy plays a key role in accelerating the energy transition and energy system integration. Its European Crowd Balancing Platform based on Blockchain Technology enables smaller flexibilities, such as home batteries and electric vehicles, to participate in power balancing markets, turning consumers into prosumers. Equigy was founded by TenneT, Swissgrid and Terna, three national TSOs. The project aims to set European-wide cross-industry standards to support a future-proof, reliable and cost-efficient energy system that is independent of fossil-fuel based sources of flexibility.

This press release is a translation of the original German press release, which may cause minor differences in the text.