Network Code on Electricity Balancing

The EASE response to the ENTSO-E public consultation on the Network Code on Electricity Balancing has just been published on our website.

EASE welcomes the Network Code on Electricity Balancing as a tool to foster effective competition, non-discrimination and transparency in markets. It will further help driving the way to a more harmonised pan-European balancing market.

However, EASE does use the opportunity of this public consultation to express some concerns about the points that we consider central in shaping the future balancing market:

• EASE believes that the Network Code on Electricity Balancing should ultimately lead to a harmonised framework for a pan-European Balancing Market. The Network Code should be designed as a driver for this evolution.
• In order to foster the participation of emerging technologies - such as energy storage and demand response - and renewable energy sources, aggregation should be facilitated for both load and generation entities.
• The evolution of the energy system is likely to trigger the need for balancing products with faster response times and particularly more accurate response curves. The Network Code should not hinder the development of products that are capable of delivering such services.
• Obligations for market players to put up their unused capacity for bids in the balancing market may prevent market entry of potential players, thus hindering rather than supporting the intended development of markets and competition. They risk enhancing rather than reducing market distortions.