Power-to-gas plants and their role in the electricity balancing market

This LAP is concerned with the status of, and legal coverage for, Power to Gas systems operating to provide ancillary services and specifically for demand side load balancing services

Glossary:

Balancing and Ancillary Services Markets. Balancing refers to the situation after markets have closed (gate closure) in which a TSO acts to ensure that demand is equal to supply, in and near real time.
An important aspect of balancing is the approach to procuring ancillary services.
Is it a barrier?
Yes
Type of Barrier
Operational barriers, Regulatory gap
Assessment Severity
3
Assessment
Not permitted – Electrolysers are not expressly indicated among the devices for grid balancing

Questions:

Question 1 Are electrolysers able to participate in the 3 ancillary services? If yes, please specify.
No, on the contrary. Electrolysers are not expressly indicated among the devices for grid balancing at the DNO or any grid level
Describe the comparable technology and its relevance with regard to hydrogen
Other grid balancing technologies (renewables, conventional plant)

National legislation:

EU Legislation:

  • Directive 2012/27/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on energy efficiency
    This Directive establishes a common framework of measures for the promotion of energy efficiency within the Union in order to ensure the achievement of the Union’s 2020 20 % headline target on energy efficiency and to pave the way for further energy efficiency improvements beyond that date.

    It lays down rules designed to remove barriers in the energy market and overcome market failures that impede efficiency in the supply and use of energy and provides for the establishment of indicative national energy efficiency targets for 2020.
  • Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/2195 establishing a guideline on electricity balancing
    This Regulation lays down a detailed guideline on electricity balancing including the establishment of common principles for the procurement and the settlement of frequency containment reserves, frequency restoration reserves and replacement reserves and a common methodology for the activation of frequency restoration reserves and replacement reserves.