This is good. Learning-by-doing through the FlexTalk 1.0 project has tested and proved that flexible devices (eg, electric vehicle chargers) can be integrated into the power system and market. The integration involved bridging a gap in the communication infrastructure underpinning the everyday operation of the electricity system and market by demonstrating the exchange of messages and information between devices, flexibility coordinators and flexibility users, eg, to receive a message ‘please adjust your charging rate’ and respond with ‘sure thing’ (or, ‘not right now’).
Integrating flexible devices into the electricity system and market increases the value on the table for humans and the economy by increasing the number of things flexibility can be used for and increasing the number of potential users. The value of using (while asking nicely and offering compensation) the flexible resources owned by households, businesses and communities comes from the opportunity to delay or avoid some of the cost of new network and generation infrastructure.
The upshot is to hasten electrification by shortening the payback period of new gear and make electricity a bit more affordable for everyone.
When will this happen I hear you ask? How much of the puzzle is left to do? Who is secretly holding on to some pieces so they get to place the final piece?
Flextalk takes us a bit closer to a future where households, businesses and communities can maximise the value of their flexible resources, but there is still much to learn and do. One project does not manage the winter peak….
FlexForum is doing some cool stuff right now to produce a future state blueprint setting out what good could look like and a schematic of the digital infrastructure. These will fill a gap by making it easier for everyone to place the Flextalk findings and other learning by doing into a broader context and understand what is known and what still needs to be worked out.
Watch this space. Read the Flextalk Findings while you are waiting.
