LONDON — Piclo, the leading global marketplace provider for flexibility services, has started working with National Grid on a project to deliver an independent marketplace that widens and streamlines participation for all types of distributed energy resources (DERs) capable of providing flexibility services, otherwise known as non-wires alternatives (NWAs).

The initial phase of the project will run for 12 months with the first flexibility competitions in early 2023. The project covers the area of New York State, with emphasis on National Grid’s upstate New York region and is open to all flexible service providers with existing or planned assets.  For more information on the platform and upcoming opportunities, asset owners are encouraged to join an introductory webinar on Tuesday, December 20 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EST.

The increasing deployment of clean technologies including variable renewables and electric vehicles (EVs) has made grid management more complex. The US grid is currently heavily dependent on natural gas and coal for 60 percent of its electricity generation. By 2030, the goal is that 40 percent of the nation's electricity will come from wind, solar and energy storage, increasing the need for a flexible energy system.

Flexibility is a critical tool for utilities to manage network issues such as increased peak demand, to connect DERs at pace, and improve grid resiliency. New York has been a leader in the use of flexibility services since the adoption of the landmark Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) strategy in 2014. Provisions of New York’s nation-leading Climate Leadership and Community Protect Act (CLCPA), signed into law in 2019, call for deployment of flexibility services, further expanding the usage of this burgeoning technology.

The more recent federal Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 will also have a monumental impact on delivering a net zero U.S. electric grid by 2035. The legislation aims to boost investment in wind, solar, battery storage, electric vehicles (EVs) and other clean energy technologies through the provision of energy security and climate change programs, worth about $369 billion over the next ten years. Piclo Flex will enable National Grid to accelerate the decarbonization of the grid and simplify the process for flexibility services procurement at scale.

James Johnston CEO at Piclo said:

“This moment marks a turning point for flexibility markets, showcasing their importance globally in the transition to a net zero future. We’re very excited to work alongside National Grid, a leading utility at the forefront of flexibility market development in the United States. By combining Piclo’s market-leading experience and technology from Europe with National Grid’s expertise we’re privileged  to play a role in accelerating their transition to decarbonized and flexible energy system.”

Brian Gemmell, National Grid’s New York Chief Operating Officer for Electric said:

National Grid is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by increasing the amount of renewable energy on the grid while improving reliability and affordability for customers. Our recently released Clean Energy Vision plan outlines a pathway to achieve a fossil-free future to our energy systems that incorporates renewable sources of energy and storage solutions. Adopting Piclo Flex as our marketplace for these opportunities streamlines the process for shepherding projects from proposal to activation while drawing knowledge from an industry leader in the energy flexibility procurement space.”

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