- New Distribution system operators (DSOs) roles
- Facilitate an efficient DRES integration as well as market participation of new stakeholders
- Increase the security and reliability of distribution grids
evolvDSO was a FP7 collaborative project funded by the European Commission. The project lasted 40 months, from September 2013 until December 2016, and was carried out by a Consortium of 16 partners coordinated by Enel Distribuzione.
With the growing relevance of distributed renewable energy sources (DRES) in the generation mix and the increasingly pro-active demand for electricity, power systems and their mode of operation need to evolve. evolvDSO defined the future roles of distribution system operators (DSOs) and developed tools required for these new roles on the basis of scenarios, driven by different DRES penetration levels, various degrees of technological progress, and differing customer acceptance patterns.
Main outcomes of evolvDSO
1. Future scenarios and new DSO roles
A limited set of possible future scenarios describing the evolution of electricity systems, including the anticipation of future challenges of distribution systems and required new/evolving DSO roles.
2. Development of validated tools and methods
Set of validated tools and methods with a high replicability potential focused on where the main gaps are with respect to the identified DSO challenges and new required DSO roles. These tools should address both current and possible future challenges of the distribution system.
3. Evaluation of tools performance
Methodologies to evaluate the performance of the developed tools and methods considering the requirements of the key stakeholders (aligned with the EEGI requirements).
4. Recommendations
Recommendations for the modification of the regulatory framework and market architectures (new roles, responsibilities and interactions in the system) that take into account current technical requirements with the aim to facilitate an efficient DRES integration and more active consumers as well as market participation of new stakeholders, such as aggregators and BRPs. The increasing need for storage similarly needs to be accommodated by the regulatory framework.
5. Roadmap
A pragmatic roadmap for the deployment of the developed tools and methods.
evolvDSO contributed to the transition to a more sustainable European energy system by maintaining and increasing the security and reliability of distribution grids, facilitating the increased feed-in of DRES. The results of evolvDSO drove the implementation of the EEGI roadmap and ultimately provided a significant impetus for reaching EU climate targets.
- Coordinator: ENEL Distribuzione
- Project partners: CyberGrid, EDP Distribuição, ERDF, ESB Networks, RWE, RTE, Energinet.dk, EDSO, Energy Pool, Grenoble INP, RSE, RWTH Aachen, University College Dublin, VITO, INESC Porto
- R&D programme: EC FP7
- Time frame: 2013–2015
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. “Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the EU Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.”
