Electricity North West has partnered with technology provider Electron. The two-year collaboration will see Electron's cutting-edge platform, ElectronConnect, employed to offer greater visibility, choice, and participation for both Electricity North West and flexibility service providers (FSPs).
ElectronConnect is a next generation flexibility market platform that allows system operators, like Electricity North West, to configure different market products and procure flexibility from different technology types and network levels - and across different time scales, for example day-ahead to year-ahead.
A key factor of this partnership is to drive greater digitalisation and in turn liquidity and value into flexibility markets by lowering barriers to entry for FSPs. ElectronConnect enables this by streamlining the end-to-end process of participating in distribution flexibility markets, whilst increasing the number and frequency of opportunities available.
The platform will also provide data-driven insights to help FSPs better predict their flexibility availability, maximising profitability and unlocking value stacking opportunities. Alongside these new capabilities will be a managed transition of existing flexibility auctions to avoid disruption to FSPs.
Electricity North West strategy director, Ben Grunfeld, said: “As the North West's network operator, we are uniquely positioned to drive the North West’s transition to a sustainable and equitable energy future. By harnessing digitalisation and prioritising customer needs, we can seamlessly integrate renewable energy sources, reduce carbon emissions, and ensure that our customers have access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy solutions.”
Electricity North West head of DSO, Cara Blockley, added: “Electricity North West is committed to remaining at the forefront of innovation in distribution system operation. This partnership with Electron underscores our dedication to using flexibility to deliver tangible benefits to our customers. We look forward to collaborating with Electron to further drive the digitalisation and development of our network, opening up these opportunities for flexibility to all of our customers, and working together to create a sustainable and equitable energy future for all, together.“
Electricity North West was the first distribution network operator to tender for a full end-to-end platform for the provision of these services, launching the tender in summer 2023 and offering innovators the opportunity to provide modular, consortium or full end-to-end solutions, to ensure that they were driving the best performance across both the procurement and utilisation aspects of these fast growing markets.
Electron CEO and co-founder, Jo-Jo Hubbard, said: “Electricity North West’s ambition is to have the most digitalised network management system driving its distribution system operation, and our collaboration to deliver its flexible services platform for live markets across its network is testament to that. This new partnership reflects a step change in how flex markets can and should be perceived.
“Markets aren’t a static creation but should develop and adapt with the needs of a rapidly evolving system. Our configurable multi-market solution was created with this adaptability in mind, using best-in-class technology combined with carefully selected delivery partners to ensure the best experience for all market participants.”
This partnership also underlines Electricity North West's commitment to transparency and fair market practices. By outsourcing real-time dispatch through ElectronConnect, the company exhibits clear conflict of interest management to flexibility market. This demonstrates their dedication to creating a level playing field for all participants.
