Flexibility: a cornerstone of grid stability

Specific mechanisms to ensure power grid stability

Depending on different time scales and the needs of the electricity system, several forms of flexibility play a role in balancing the power grid:

• Structural and regular flexibilities: from annual to weekly timescales, these flexibilities enable production and maintenance planning for the power system
• Dynamic flexibilities: varying from weekly to daily, these flexibilities ensure the supply of electricity in a form accepted by the electricity grid (e.g. for solar energy, a solar bell; for wind energy, a ribbon) with regard to consumption peaks. This can take place through energy storage via stationary batteries of electric pumping stations by shifting consumption to moments when electricity is more abundant and less expensive.
• Balancing flexibilities: these are highly flexible assets such as example batteries. They intervene in real time and regulate grid frequency.
• Backup flexibilities: very rarely used, these are exceptional mechanisms which are mobilized by RTE as a last resort.

Each stakeholder connected to the grid can be flexible and take part in these mechanisms. Smaller-volume consumers (tertiary and residential) also play a key role in grid stability: they help manage the discrepancy between electrical consumption, which is characterized by two consumption peaks, morning and evening, and the solar bell, which occurs closer to the middle of the day.

The emergence of dynamic flexibilities

By 2050, the need for dynamic flexibilities will increase significantly. New modalities are emerging for this type of flexibility: stationary batteries, mobile electric vehicle batteries, flexibilities for small-volume consumers (tertiary and residential) as well as the flexibilities of renewable energy production. The development of these types of flexibilities will be facilitated by several economic, technological, industrial, regulatory and cultural factors.

In conclusion, the ability to modulate electricity consumption is highly valuable. Power grid stakeholders can benefit greatly from these flexibility solutions, which offer a dual advantage: an ecologically responsible initiative for a better brand image and access to additional income to compensate for increases in energy prices.