Principle of flexibility tenders

In its roadmap on the use of flexibilities to manage grid constraints, drawn up with the CRE as a follow-up to SDDR 2019 (ten-year network development plan), RTE is now exploring a new service. It consists in reserving flexibility capacity over a multi-year period that can be activated in real time by RTE to limit congestion on the transmission system. This approach materialised through the launch of an experimental flexibility call for tenders in 2022, for which the contract has now entered into force.  

The principle ?
By consuming sufficiently during periods when a high generation of renewables creates strain on operations in the area, flexibility can be an economically relevant solution. This would indeed allow the postponing or avoidance of any grid investments required for the evacuation of excess RE generation.
The recipient thus undertakes to extract a certain volume which is then activated by RTE through an automatic signal. In return for this commitment, the recipient is:

• Remunerated: with a fixed premium for the availability of their installation and/or by a variable premium for each megawatt hour activated;
•  Penalised: if the service performed is below a minimum threshold set in the contract.

For more information, visit the page dedicated to this call for tender: Flexibilities: provide your services for network congestion management - RTE Service Portal  (services-rte.com)

Perquie pilot tender 

In 2021-2022, RTE agreed on a pilot call for tenders to test the deployment of such solutions to manage constraints on its grid. After launching in 2021 a survey of interests on 4 potential areas of different profiles (photovoltaic, wind or mixed sources of grid strain etc.), RTE finally selected the Perquie survey in the Landes for the first experimental call for tenders. 

Candidates were able to submit their bids between 29/06 and 21/10/2022. The procedure for awarding the tender was completed and the contract won by EDF Renewables entered into force on 23/09/2024.

RTE welcomes the fact that this experiment can take place in a context where the use of various forms of flexible solutions will be required to be dispatched, in addition to network reinforcements, to support the acceleration of the energy transition and particularly the deployment of renewables.

RTE and the EDF Renewables recipient are now working on the implementation of this service, which is currently scheduled for the end of 2027. The service will be provided for a period of 5 years from the connection of the installation, renewable 5 times for an additional year at the initiative of RTE. This provision will enable RTE to update the forecasts concerning the volume of constraints to be managed and to adapt its analysis of network reinforcement needs if necessary.

A first feedback gathering is currently underway to identify the hindrances and facilitators related to this use case.

This experimental tender has enabled RTE to create a first contractual framework for the reservation of a congestion management service by a flexibility provider and to better identify the areas where the type of strain makes the installation of a flexible battery storage solution relevant, both in terms of the community but also in terms of economic interest for the economic actors of the project.

RTE is thus developing its grid study methods to systematically consider the interest of a battery solution as an alternative to network reinforcement whenever deemed relevant. In the event that this analysis leads to the identification of one area as favourable to the installation of a battery, RTE may launch new flexibility tenders. 

October 09, 2024