Transmission System Operators (TSOs):
– for the secondary and tertiary reserve,
– for trading on the international energy flexibility market.

Distribution System Operators (DSOs):
– to prevent overloads of power system elements and to postpone investments,
– to provide proper voltage profiles.

Balancing Groups (BGs):
– for providing generation, storage and consumption profiles according to the schedule,
– for trading activities on energy (flexibility) market.

Aggregators and other actors on the energy market:
– for aggregation of generation, storage and consumption of smaller units,
– for trading activities on energy (flexibility) market.

The requests for energy flexibility services can be generated a day ahead, several minutes in advance, or immediately when they are required. The price for the services increases with decreasing response time.

– bigger energy generation, storage and consumption units can provide energy flexibility (system) services independently or inside BG, where direct contracts are often used.
– smaller energy generation, storage and consumption units, or combinations of them in the forms of prosumers, can provide energy flexibility services through an aggregator, which can operate inside a BG.

The energy flexibility market (generation, storage, consumption) balances the supply of flexibility service providers and demand of flexibility service users. It requires:
– trading rules and software,
– communication with users of energy flexibility services,
– communication with providers of energy flexibility services,

The trading can be performed in the scope of aggregators that can be independent or parts of BGs, or directly in negotiations between the energy flexibility service providers and the service users (TSO, DSO, BG).

Energy Management System is installed at the side of the energy flexibility service providers. It includes:
– all forms of energy and energy carriers,
– hardware and software required for communication with the energy flexibility market or the energy flexibility users in the form of aggregators, TSOs, DSOs or BGs,
– hardware and software required for communication with controllable devices in the form of energy generation, storage and consumption units within the EMS,
– energy generation, storage and consumption units within the EMS,
– sensor, actuator, communication, protection, and control elements and systems,
– automation and remote-control functionality upgraded with autonomous decision logic,
– balancing of energy cost and basic functionality,
– ability to provide energy flexibility services based on autonomous decision logic.

The EMS can be controlled by its owner, where benefits for the owner are maximized, or it can be controlled by an external service provider, such as an BG, where benefits for the service provider are maximized.

– Home EMS: balances energy costs, comfort and quality of living.
– Building EMS: balances energy costs, functionality and quality of living.
– Factory EMS: balances energy costs and undisturbed production process.
– Community EMS: balances energy costs with functionalities of a community. Bigger cities own the complete infrastructure whilst the EMS minimizes energy costs considering all energy forms and energy carriers (cogenerations, district heating, of-grid operation).

– Energy generation, storage and consumption units with the switch on and off capability.
– Energy generation, storage and consumption units with controllers able to exchange data and accept references.
– Support systems in the form of communication, actuator, sensor, protection and control elements or systems.

In the case of a building these elements are the HVAC systems, heat pumps, heating, cooling and ventilation systems, recuperation systems, air condition systems, elevators, escalators, water heaters, home appliances, lighting systems, shading systems, protection systems, sensors (temperature, humidity, pressure, current, voltage, power,…)

Why do we need EMS with autonomous decision logic to provide energy flexibility services?
– People are busy and have no time to continuously check request for flexibility services.
– Increased level of comfort and reliability.
– Shorter response time could increase the incomes for energy flexibility services.
– The energy supply could become expensive without collaboration in energy flexibility services.