The European electricity and gas associations, representing distribution system operators (DSOs) - CEDEC, EDSO, eurelectric, Eurogas and GEODE - teamed up at an event at Brussels to address the issue of flexibility in the energy transition. They presented two reports entitled “Flexibility in the Energy Transition: a Toolbox for Electricity DSOs” and “Flexibility in the Energy Transition: a Toolbox for Gas DSOs”. These reports set out a holistic approach for DSOs use of flexibility to assist them contribute to the transition to a more decarbonised, decentralised and digitised energy system.

Today, the European Parliament’s ITRE committee voted on the Electricity Regulation and Directive which are the center pieces of the new electricity market design. EDSO welcomes many of the committee’s adopted provisions. Also, the new DSO Entity is a crucial stepping stone towards a future-proof European electricity market. However, by opting for an unbalanced representation in the body’s Board of Directors, MEPs have chosen an approach that will make future work in the Entity much more difficult.

At the 8th meeting of the Governing Board of the European Technology and Innovation Platform for Smart Networks for the Energy Transition (ETIP SNET) on 24 January 2018, Nikos Hatziargyriou started his chairmanship of the platform. He succeeds Konstantin Staschus, ENTSO-E Chief Innovation Officer, who has been Chairman of the ETIP SNET since its creation in July 2016.

In its recent issue on ‘European Global Leadership in Renewable Energy’, The European Files Magazine published an article by EDSO chairman Christian Buchel, dealing with flexibility for smart distribution grids.

Bernard Energy (BEA); the European Distribution System Operators’ Association for Smart Grids (EDSO for Smart Grids); the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E); the Union of the Electricity Industry - EURELECTRIC (EURELECTRIC) and the Florence School of Regulation (FSR) have the pleasure to announce the call for the 2nd Ana Aguado Scholarship Award.

EDSO hosted today a workshop that gathered more than 100 participants to reflect on “Rethinking distribution grids: future DSOs’ roles in active system management through flexibility”. In the context of the energy transition that is profoundly transforming the distribution system, flexibility is undeniably becoming a critical asset for distribution system operators. Flexibility has the potential to unleash consumer participation, increase the smartness of distribution networks, and allow for a higher, more efficient integration of decentralised energy resources. However, due to the growing complexity arising in the system, the use of flexibility operations can also pose some challenges requiring more visibility and coordination by the DSOs.

Chania (Greece) - On 22 September, the European Commission officially launched in Chania (Island of Crete, Greece) its initiative on “Clean Energy for EU Islands” that was agreed upon in Malta on 18 May. This program aims to gather best practices and foster access to energy technology and funding for Europe’s over 2700 islands.

Participating in the “Conference on digitalising energy system: Where digital meets energy” co-hosted by ENTSO-E, two of its members and the Estonian Presidency, Christian Buchel, Chairman of EDSO and Enedis Deputy CEO and Chief Digital Officer, remarked the need of a Protocol for a European Open Data policy in electricity distribution systems. Taking also part in the high-level conference that gathered prominent EU leaders on “Europe’s Future Electricity Market”, hosted by the Estonian Presidency, EDSO added its signature to the “Tallinn e-energy Declaration” that aims to promote the digitalisation of Europe’s energy systems and the use of smart solutions to step up the energy transition.

Engaging in local energy communities represents a promising opportunity for Europe’s consumers to better manage their energy use while promoting a wider renewables uptake. In their function as neutral market facilitators and key enablers of the energy transition, distribution system operators will play a fundamental role in empowering prosumers, individually or collectively engaged in energy self-consumption. In a position paper published today, EDSO for Smart Grids highlights the roles that DSOs will play in supporting these new entities with the most adequate grid infrastructure solution. Such services can include grid balancing, data metering and other solutions they may need. However, EDSO also signals that the regulatory framework for energy communities must be rightly set, by making sure that new entities are not exempted from network charges and other system obligations that apply to the rest of the customers.

Mr. Christian Buchel, Chairman of EDSO, Deputy CEO and Chief Digital Officer of Enedis, which manages the largest electricity distribution network in France, accompanied by Roberto Zangrandi, Secretary General of EDSO, met on Friday, September 8, 2017, with Mr. Nikos Chatziargyriou, Chairman and CEO of HEDNO and the Management Board of HEDNO at its headquarters in Athens.