3FOOD

Third Industrial Revolution Consulting Group
The current power exchange markets do not yet offer services for flexibility trading, which
becomes essential once the step towards a fully sustainable energy system is made and power
production, to a large extent, is based on renewable power via wind and solar.
Flexibility is the ability of a power system to maintain continuous service in the face of rapid
and large swings in supply or demand. 39 Flexibility will become a commodity in itself that is
essential to match demand to the local supply of power. Specific flexibility products are
necessary, as is the adjustment of market processes so that flexibility trading can be included.
In order to create widespread use of flexibility, a new market has to emerge at the national and
European level. Aggregated flexibility will have value and can be sold to the network operator
(to prevent congestion) or to parties that are trying to match energy demand to the supply
from various sources, at the lowest possible cost.
Intermediaries (aggregators) will try to maximize the value of their customers’ flexibility by
trading it in the marketplace. This will take place under the condition that the future energy
market is transparent, and provides a level playing field where every player has an equal role
and opportunity to participate.
Resiliency in the Energy Internet
Maintaining resiliency of critical infrastructure, such as electric power networks,
telecommunications systems, and buildings, becomes paramount when considering the various
vulnerabilities arising from catastrophic climate change related weather events, as well as the
potential impacts to human health, safety, security, and social well-being. While resiliency is
frequently considered in the context of climate change and more frequent severe storm events,
the TIR team focus also includes a view of resiliency in relation to cyber or physical attacks to
these infrastructure systems (extreme weather events can be considered as conditions that
differ substantially from the norm, and consequently might not have been taken into account
when designing cities, power and telecommunications networks, supporting infrastructure, and
new or retrofited buildings).
Buildings and other infrastructure (e.g., bridges, roadways) can be vulnerable to extreme
weather events, due to their design (low resistance to storms) or location (e.g., in flood-prone
areas). They can be damaged or rendered unfit for use by any changing climatic condition or
extreme weather event, including extreme precipitation and floods, extreme low or high
temperatures, heavy snowfalls, strong winds, and wildfires across areas experiencing severe
39 Flexibility Options in Electricity Systems, Ecofys, 2014.
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