Bringing Flexibility to the System - Local Flexibility Markets

premium account

Recording of Tuesday, May 06, 2025 | The smarter E Europe | Conference Program | Language: English | Duration: 11:16 .

Å Energi Advances Local Flexibility Markets in Norway with National Pilot and Euroflex Project Expansion

Rune Hogga from Å Energi, a major Norwegian utility and hydropower producer, shared insights on developing local flexibility markets in Norway since 2016. Å Energi has been involved in significant pilots to manage energy demand flexibly using advanced analytics and AI technologies. Despite Norway's extensive hydropower resources, the need for flexible solutions is crucial due to increasing electrification demands and potential grid bottlenecks. The company initiated projects like Norflex to explore load shifting strategies involving various stakeholders such as EV owners and industries. These initiatives have expanded beyond Norway into countries like Sweden, Germany, Canada, Belgium, Portugal, Spain among others. Despite initial setbacks with regulatory approvals delaying broader implementation plans across Europe by 2021-22 timeline; they managed successful collaborations through Euroflex project funded by the government which involves multiple DSOs (Distribution System Operators) learning about long-flex products aimed at reducing infrastructure investments via marketplace bids ensuring sustained income streams over time while enhancing market liquidity gradually until full national adoption anticipated post-2027 timeframe amidst ongoing pilot developments globally alongside TSOs coordination efforts fostering competitive yet cooperative ecosystem dynamics overall within this evolving sector landscape today!

Automated summarization by AI Conver

Rune Hogga
Head of Flexibility
A Energi
Norway

The global energy landscape is changing rapidly as demand for electricity increases and distributed generation becomes more widespread. In their efforts to modernize and expand an already aging power grid, utilities and grid operators face significant obstacles and challenges in maintaining system stability and resilience. In addition, shortages of skilled labor and materials are slowing infrastructure development. Addressing these issues requires technological innovation, policy reforms, and collaboration across the energy industry. The session will explore how to create a power system that is not only reliable and secure but also flexible enough to adapt the changing energy landscape.

Further Talks of this session:

Speaker

Carmen Gimeno
Secretary General
GEODE
Belgium

Recording of presentation not authorized for publication.

Speaker

Luís Vale Cunha
Chairman
ETIP SNET
Portugal

To Talk

Speaker

Harri Salomäki
Head of Asset Management and Partnerships
Elenia
Finland

To Talk

Speaker

Mark Nigge-Uricher
Senior Business Developer
Alliander N.V.
The Netherlands

To Talk

Speaker

Maddalena Pondini
Sustainability Advisory Expert
Siemens AG
Germany

Recording of presentation not authorized for publication.

To Talk

Further Content
The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026
Panel Discussion of the Session: Turning Industrial and Commercial Demand Side Flexibility into Value

Tuesday, June 23, 2026, 02:30 pm

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026 | Conference Program

premium account

Industrial and commercial flexibility is no longer experimental - it is becoming a core part of network operation and market participation. Across Europe, DSOs, transmission system operators (TSOs), aggregators and retailers are moving from isolated pilots to coordinated programs that avoid grid upgrades and deliver real capacity and financial value for all participants.This session focuses on the operational integration of C&I flexibility into routine grid workflows through dispatch, settlement, verification and commercial models. It highlights how flexibility is embedded in daily operations: from automated dispatch and verification tools to new contractual models that reward large energy users for adapting consumption. You will gain insight into replicable approaches for scaling flex portfolios, integrating them into control-room workflows and ensuring fair value-sharing across utilities, service providers and industrial consumers.

Webinar Collection
Demand-side flexibility in action: Real-world strategies for energy-intensive industries

May 5, 2026

free account

Webinar showing how flexibility can reduce energy costs and strengthen competitiveness.

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026
Closing of the Session: Making Grid-Constrained Multi-Asset Sites Work

Monday, June 22, 2026, 03:45 pm

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026 | Conference Program

premium account

Across Europe, there are ports, logistics hubs, industrial parks and campuses electrifying faster than grid capacity can be expanded. Shared connections, hybrid assets and active energy management are no longer optional -they are essential tools needed to stay connected, compliant and competitive. Well-designed industrial hubs and clusters can also strengthen Europe's resilience and competitiveness, but only if they are organized in a way that preserves a company's operational autonomy and avoids new system vulnerabilities or unnecessary complexity. This session explores how grid-constrained multi-asset sites are designed and operated in practice. Speakers will show how solar systems, battery storage systems, EV charging and flexible loads can be coordinated despite limited connections. They will also explain how DSOs interact with these sites and how energy hubs can deliver measurable grid relief while maintaining smooth operation. 

Publications
European Battery Market Outlook 2026-2030

June 24, 2026

European Battery Market Outlook 2026-2030: How utility-scale storage drives energy sovereignty and grid flexibility despite looming target gaps.

Simon Evans, Akshat Rathi
Digitalizing the Grid to Meet Today’s Energy Crisis

The smarter E Podcast Episode 251 | Language: English

March 19, 2026

Learn how digital tools and electrification build resilient grids, featuring insights from Arup and Bloomberg experts on the future of energy.

You are using an outdated browser

The website cannot be viewed in this browser. Please open the website in an up-to-date browser such as Edge, Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.