LONDON, 5 December 2022 - Piclo, the leading global marketplace provider for flexibility services, has started working with National Grid on a project to deliver an independent marketplace that widens and streamlines participation for all types of distributed energy resources (DERs) capable of providing flexibility services, otherwise known as non-wires alternatives (NWAs)*.
The initial phase of the project will run for 12 months with the first flexibility competitions in early 2023. The project covers the area of New York State, with emphasis on National Grid’s upstate New York region and is open to all flexible service providers with existing or planned assets. For more information on the platform and upcoming opportunities, asset owners are encouraged to join an introductory webinar on Tuesday 20 December from 16:00 - 17:30 GMT.
The increasing deployment of clean technologies including variable renewables and electric vehicles (EVs) has made grid management more complex. The US grid is currently heavily dependent on natural gas and coal for 60 percent of its electricity generation. By 2030, the goal is that 40 percent of the nation's electricity will come from wind, solar and energy storage, increasing the need for a flexible energy system.
Flexibility is a critical tool for utilities to manage network issues such as increased peak demand, to connect DERs at pace, and improve grid resiliency. New York has been a leader in the use of flexibility services since the adoption of the landmark Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) strategy in 2014. Provisions of New York’s nation-leading Climate Leadership and Community Protect Act (CLCPA) signed into law in 2019 call for deployment of flexibility services, further expanding the usage of this burgeoning technology.
The more recent federal Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 will also have a monumental impact on delivering a net zero U.S. electric grid by 2035. The legislation aims to boost investment in wind, solar, battery storage, electric vehicles (EVs) and other clean energy technologies through the provision of energy security and climate change programs, worth about $369 billion over the next ten years. Piclo Flex will enable National Grid to accelerate the decarbonisation of the grid and simplify the process for flexibility services procurement at scale.
James Johnston CEO at Piclo said:
“This moment marks a turning point for flexibility markets, showcasing their importance globally in the transition to a net zero future. We’re very excited to work alongside National Grid, a leading utility at the forefront of flexibility market development in the United States. By combining Piclo’s market-leading experience and technology from Europe with National Grid’s expertise we’re privileged to play a role in accelerating their transition to decarbonised and flexible energy system.”
Brian Gemmell, National Grid’s New York Chief Operating Officer for Electric said:
“National Grid is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by increasing the amount of renewable energy on the grid while improving reliability and affordability for customers. Our recently released Clean Energy Vision plan outlines a pathway to achieve a fossil-free future to our energy systems that incorporates renewable sources of energy and storage solutions. Adopting Piclo Flex as our marketplace for these opportunities streamlines the process for shepherding projects from proposal to activation while drawing knowledge from an industry leader in the energy flexibility procurement space.”
National Grid joins a growing list of leading utilities adopting Piclo Flex as the independent marketplace for local flexibility services, including the UK’s UK Power Networks, SP Energy Networks, Electricity North West, Portugal’s E-REDES and Lithuania’s Energijos Skirstymo Operatorius (ESO).
About National Grid USA
About National Grid: National Grid (NYSE: NGG) is an electricity, natural gas, and clean energy delivery company serving more than 20 million people through our networks in New York and Massachusetts. National Grid is focused on building a path to a more affordable, reliable clean energy future through our fossil-free vision. National Grid is transforming our electricity and natural gas networks with smarter, cleaner, and more resilient energy solutions to meet the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
For more information, please visit our website, follow us on Twitter, watch us on YouTube, like us on Facebook and find our photos on Instagram.
Register on PicloFlex here at https://usa.picloflex.com/
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*Glossary:
In this press release flexibility services refers to the US-preferred term of Non-Wires Alternatives (NWAs) initiatives. As defined by National Grid USA, “Non-wires alternatives” is the inclusive term for any electrical grid investment that is intended to defer or remove the need to construct or upgrade components of a distribution and/or transmission system, or “wires investment”. It can include demand response, solar, energy storage, combined heat and power (CHP), microgrid, conservation or energy efficiency measures, and other distributed energy resources (DERs) or other non-traditional resources.
Introductory Webinar
Title: Introduction to flexibility markets and Piclo: New York State
Date, Time: Tuesday 20 December, 16:00 - 17:30 GMT
[This notice was update on 26th March, 2024]
Piclo’s mission is to decarbonise the grid. We develop software solutions that make our energy networks smarter, flexible and more sustainable. Piclo Max, our market access platform, enables flex sellers (such as EV and battery owners) to access all electricity markets from one place. Piclo Flex, our flexibility services marketplace, enables flex buyers (system operators) to source flexible electricity from flex sellers during times of high demand or low supply.
To date, Piclo has over 300,000 registered flexible assets representing 22 GW of registered flex capacity, with flexibility contracts awarded totalling £74m and 2.6 GW+ of flexible capacity procured.
Piclo currently operates in six global markets: in the UK, supporting all six Distribution System Operators (UK Power Networks, SP Energy Networks, Electricity North West, Northern Powergrid, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks and National Grid Electricity Distribution); and the Transmission System Operator (TSO) (the ESO); in Ireland (ESB Networks), Italy (E-Distribuzione), Portugal (E-REDES)); in Australia (CitiPower, Powercor); and in the United States in New York State (National Grid) and Connecticut (United Illuminating). Aside from its leading position in the UK, Piclo has a growing presence in Europe, USA and the Asia-Pacific.
For more information book a demo, follow us on LinkedIn, and watch us on YouTube.