Smart market platform as a coordination mechanism of distributed flexibility for congestion management

Distribution networks and their operators will play a vital role in the Energiewende. Multitudes of units, which can provide flexibility, are connected to the distribution network. Currently, these units either lack connectivity altogether or are limited to bilateral communication. In the future, the rollout of smart metering technologies will enable the offering of decentralised units to various market actors via an interoperable information and communications technology infrastructure. The flexibility of decentralised units can also play an essential role in congestion management (CM) processes. This study describes fundamental key aspects in the development of a smart market platform as a new tool in CM. It answers the question of why a platform solution is the most suitable design principle, where the benefits of decentral flexibilities are and why an infrastructure with intelligent metering systems fits the requirements of the use case. The developed platform includes a proposal for the interaction of transmission system operators and distribution system operator in the CM process.