October 2015 / Policy Papers
Network Code on Load-Frequency Control and Reserves
EASE, the European Association for Storage of Energy, represents the voice of the energy storage community, actively engaged in promoting the use of energy storage in Europe and worldwide. EASE is convinced that energy storage will provide essential services along the whole energy value chain and so will support the transition towards a secure, competitive and decarbonised energy system in Europe.
Energy storage will play an important role in new market designs, especially with regards to flexibility markets. Specific storage regulation and market mechanisms for flexibility will help to create energy storage markets and will contribute to the development of a competitive energy storage industry in Europe.
EASE submitted its position on the prosed Network Code on Load-Frequency Control and Reserves recommending that technical rules and potential market designs regarding ancillary services (including FCR) should be shaped in such way that, without discrimination, every energy storage technology meeting the actual requirements must be eligible to participate. In the frame of better regulation, it should also be guaranteed that the rules which are in place do not change unless these are proven to be insufficient to guarantee grid stability.
As a consequence, the time period for FCR full activation should be maintained at 15 minutes, except if ENTSO-E is able to demonstrate by a cost-benefit analysis (taking into account the costs of research and demonstration already engaged) and by demonstrating the technical needs, that the extension to 30 minutes would be fundamental for the system reliability.