Nordic Energy Research invites applicants to submit their proposals for the tender “Collaborative Demand Flexibility Project”.

The aim of the project is to facilitate and promote the adoption of flexibility solutions in an effort to realise the benefits of flexibility in the Nordic. The project will do so by enhancing the energy authorities and policymakers’ understanding of demand and supply flexibility and the development of market mechanisms in the Nordic countries. This tender includes Norway, Sweden, Finland, Åland, and Denmark.

The study should contribute to an informed approach to European legislative activity, for example, the upcoming Guidelines for a Network Code on Demand Response (EC, 2022). The study should also give a better understanding of smart technologies’ interaction with actors in the flexibility area with the aim of advancing appliances and appliance systems’ flexibility capabilities, e.g., in the Ecodesign Directive and Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR).

Submission deadline is 4 June 2024, at 13:00 (CEST)

Read the full tender text and apply on TED here

Read the full tender text and apply on Doffin here

Background

The Russian war of aggression in Ukraine and Russian actions before their attack led to significantly increased electricity prices across the member states in the European Union (EU) in 2021–2023, due to the escalating prices associated with natural gas prices.

In response to the increased electricity prices, the European Commission wants to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy sources. There is a need to implement measures which enhance the flexibility of power supply and demand to ensure a stable power system. Flexibility in the EU power system needs to almost double by 2030 to keep up with the growth of variable renewable electricity sources (ACER, December 2023). Realising the still vastly untapped demand-side flexibility potential can help to utilise the existing grid and avoid or postpone costly investments in power production, distribution grids and transmission capacities, as well as the related emissions and adverse effects on land use, biodiversity and cultural rights.

Assignment and available funding

The tasks of the study include:

  • How are flexibility services purchased by the DSOs and TSOs? The report should include solutions ranging from interruptible tariffs to local marketplaces.
  • Building a comprehensive Excel database overview with information that makes it possible to reach out to the DSOs/TSOs to identify providers of demand side flexibility.
  • Analysis of up to 12 appliance-centered case studies should take their starting point from the identified flexibility projects/contracts in the mapping in the first two tasks.
  • Development of cross-national policy recommendations that can
    • facilitate and promote the adaptation of flexibility solutions.
    • promote and improve demand side flexibility in buildings using smart appliances.

The available budget is 1 370 000 NOK.

Nordic Energy Research acts as the contracting partner on behalf of the Nordic Committee of Senior Officials for Energy Policies.

For further information about the tender, please contact Senior Adviser Maj Dang Trong or Senior Adviser Andreas Stengel.