Impact study on the utilisation of DER Flexibilities for DSO Network Management

The EU 2050 energy decarbonisation ambition along with new technologies that are currently being deployed is leading to a deep revolution in the distribution network planning and management. Future generation-load scenarios have to be considered along with a range of expected regulatory frameworks. It is envisaged that the role of Distribution System Operators (DSOs) will change, but the overarching mission for distribution operators to provide the customer with a safe, reliable, secure and cost-effective energy supply remains the same. The new objective is to facilitate the integration of renewable generation and e-mobility with increasing levels of digitisation of the system. This purpose could be reached with the support of new tools for planning the future distribution system, able to implement both traditional network solutions and innovative no-network solutions (DER flexibility) and to find the right balance among them, guaranteeing at the same time the reliable, secure and cost-effective operation of the distribution system and the free participation of new players to the electricity markets. Obviously, the comparison among these planning alternatives has to consider also the explicit assessment of the risk inherent in the use of innovative solution that implies the substitution of traditional planning actions with ancillary services acquired from the market. The paper will present the first results of planning studies on the Italian distribution system, taking into account the evolving scenario, described in the “Clean Energy for all European”, characterised by the inclusion of large amount of DER, and the assessment of the impact of the services offered to the network evolution.