The STREAM project has published a new article on Enlit World library, one of the leading knowledge platforms for the European energy sector.
The article, Integrating Flexibility Resources into Distribution Network Planning, presents STREAM’s approach to enabling flexibility as a credible, quantifiable alternative to conventional grid reinforcement. It introduces the project’s planning tool sPLAN, which allows distribution system operators (DSOs) to assess and directly compare the costs and technical performance of network reinforcement against flexibility-based solutions on equal footing and using real network data.
The article also highlights findings from STREAM’s policy analysis for Slovenia, identifying three key regulatory changes needed for local flexibility markets to become operational in practice: a clear legal mandate for DSOs to procure flexibility, regulatory recognition of flexibility costs, and technical standards for interoperability and market access.
Real-world testing on the distribution network in Ajdovščina, Slovenia is currently underway, with results to be published before the project concludes.