Latvia’s electricity grid operator, Sadales tīkls, in collaboration with technology company Tet, has launched a project to develop a new electricity flexibility service aimed at managing grid overloads more efficiently.
As the country sees a rise in solar panels, wind generators, electric vehicles, and charging stations, the grid is facing increased load peaks, making this initiative timely, the grid operator said.
The project is funded through the European Union Recovery Fund and aims to create a platform allowing electricity market participants to manage grid loads effectively and stabilise the network.
The project involves developing and testing a platform prototype that could help electricity providers and traders address network overloads by coordinating consumers’ electricity usage. With the prototype, end-users would be able to adjust their electricity consumption and receive compensation, reducing the need for costly infrastructure upgrades while promoting renewable energy integration.
“The changes in energy supply driven by technological development and the European Green Course are essential for society as a whole, but they present challenges that all players in the energy sector must address,” said Sandis Jansons, Chairman of the Board of Sadales tīkls. “Through this project, we’ll develop the necessary technical tools and IT systems to demonstrate flexibility services in Latvia.”
This initiative marks Latvia as the first Baltic country to develop and test such flexibility services. Tet’s CEO, Uldis Tatarčuks, underscored its significance, stating, “This project will help manage the network better and could become a new business opportunity in the electricity market. If successful, it will significantly change electricity consumption management in Latvia.”