Turning Flexibility into Revenue: How Virtual Power Plants Optimize Batteries, Flexible Loads and Renewable Assets Across Multiple Markets

premium account

Recording of Thursday, June 25, 2026 | The smarter E Europe Exhibition Program 2026 | Languag English | Duration: 12:36 .

Maximizing Revenue and Flexibility in Renewable Energy Markets.

Julian Kretz from Next Kraftwerke GmbH emphasizes the importance of flexibility in energy markets at The smarter E Europe Exhibition Program 2026. Next Kraftwerke operates a Virtual Power Plant across five countries, managing around 15 gigawatts of renewable energy assets, primarily from solar power. Recent spikes in day-ahead power prices in Germany demonstrate the necessity for enhanced flexibility in energy management. The analysis includes significant events such as negative energy prices experienced by photovoltaic (PV) traders, signifying oversupply challenges and the financial risks involved. Many PV plants are adversely impacted by the loss of government subsidies, leading to reduced outputs and curtailed operations, which further diminishes their revenue. Strategies for curtailment, while necessary, must also consider optimal trading decisions influenced by subsidy landscapes. Cross-market optimization is crucial for maximizing asset value, enabling better integration of renewable energy sources, including innovative approaches such as structured products for risk management and co-location strategies. Efficient grid access and flexibility connection agreements remain critical to attract investments and enhance operational effectiveness in the renewable sector.

Automated summarization by AI Conver

Speaker

Julian Kretz
Head of Product Development and Management
Next Kraftwerke GmbH

As electrification and decentralisation reshape the power system, utilities and market actors are redefining how value is created and captured. This session explores how flexibility can be translated into viable business models and new revenue streams across the energy system. From demand-side flexibility and aggregation to digital platforms and dynamic pricing, discover how flexibility moves from pilot projects to scalable, profit-generating solutions-while supporting efficient and resilient grid operation.

Further Talks of this session:

Matteo Banchi
Membership & Business Development Officer
SmartEn

To Talk

Speaker

Alasdair Firth
Chief Product Officer
Emaldo

To Talk

Speaker

Dr. Christof Petrick
Chief Technology & Portfoliomanagement Officer
Energy2market GmbH

To Talk

Speaker

Tim Landenberg
Key Account Manager
KACO new energy

To Talk

Speaker

David Budde
CEO
trawa

To Talk

Further Content
Webinar
Renewable Energy Jobs in Brazil: Talent, Skills and Career Opportunities for the Energy Transition

July 16, 2026

Discover career opportunities in Brazil’s renewable energy market. Join our expert webinar.

Publications
Cost-optimal Transformation of the German Energy System by 2045

June 23, 2026

New Fraunhofer ISE study for The smarter E Europe: Pathways to a resilient, cost-effective & climate-neutral energy system by 2045.

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026
Panel Discussion of the Session: User Success Stories and Best Cases

Tuesday, June 23, 2026, 02:30 pm

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026 | Conference Program

premium account

For more than two decades, Norway has been steadily building a marketplace for electric transport. Having started out with inexpensive short-range electric cars and household charging sockets, Norway has now moved to mass-market solutions where fast charging (DC) and grid balancing (AC) plays an ever more vital role. With more than 1,000,000 electric cars and over 10,000 fast chargers in a relatively small market, Norway offers a rare early view of large-scale electrification. Over the past decade, electric cars have seen substantial improvements, which is now making it easier for new markets to advance electrification. At the same time, Norway has to deal with challenges years before other markets do. Yet despite different starting points, we can see that most markets are facing the same core challenges. From grid-smart charging strategies to innovative business models, there are excellent examples of best practices emerging elsewhere in Europe. What will the next thing in electrification be, both in mature and in emerging markets? And what will be possible when the right people and companies come together, sharing knowledge, solving common problems and accelerating the shift to cleaner mobility?

Battery Business & Development Forum
BESS Routes-to-Market in Europe: Merchant, Capacity, and Tolling — What Works Where

Tuesday, March 31, 2026 11:45am–1:00pm

premium account

This session breaks down the three dominant routes-to-market in Europe and examines where they work in practice, how they are structured, and what risks they carry.

Battery Business & Development Forum
Future-Proof BESS: Procurement, Design and Lessons from Operating Projects

Wednesday, April 1, 2026 2:45pm–4:00pm

premium account

This session examines how procurement, system design and construction choices affect project outcomes — and what developers should do differently.

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.