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22 | 2ND - 8TH DECEMBER 2016 | UTILITY WEEK Operations & Assets Analysis T he age of exclusive control by big energy companies and central gov- ernment is over, declares Greg Clark, the new minister for business, energy and industrial strategy, in his foreword for the long-awaited call for evidence on the move towards "a smart, flexible energy system". Industry has been waiting far longer than it expected for this moment – the potential catalyst for technological and market inno- vation and the end of the energy system as we know it. In reality, Ofgem has been consulting on the future for some time. Last year it issued a position paper on flexibility. Before that it had consulted on the transformative poten- tial of non-traditional business models and their challenges, risks and opportunities. Now the focus is on where regulatory change or space for innovation is needed. The smart system positioning paper identi- fies four main areas of work necessary to build a system capable of cultivating inno- vation and meeting the changing demands of customers: removing barriers to storage and demand-side response; improving price signals to allow more flexibility; catalysing innovation; and assessing changes to roles and responsibilities in the energy system. Clark says that both the government and Ofgem "ask open questions about these strategic choices", but Ofgem has ignored calls to allow distribution network opera- tors (DNOs) into the storage arena. Instead, it has pushed forward a vision of competition despite voices of doubt from the industry on whether a truly competitive market for stor- age is possible. Ofgem sets out its vision for storage in the box on this page. Little in the call for evidence is a revela- tion. As expected, energy storage sees the full range of known barriers addressed and potential solutions given. But some less dis- cussed areas have also been singled out for attention, such as the role of aggregators, low-emission vehicles and cyber security. Previous work by Ofgem has identified a range of barriers preventing aggregators from delivering smart technology and processes, and the consultation aims to address these. They include selling services to the system operator and accessing the balancing mecha- nism. There could be some further issues, including cross-party impacts in the energy market, aggregated actions that impact on the secure operation of a local or national system, and consumer protection risks. The paper also recognises the potential risks of allowing the ultra low-emission vehi- cle market to evolve without some guidance. Ultra low-emission vehicles, such as those based on electric and hydrogen fuel cell technologies, are critical to meeting carbon reduction targets and tackling air pollution. But the paper states that "without any intervention, there is a risk that electricity demand to support these vehicles could add to existing demand peaks, triggering expen- sive network reinforcements and a need for additional peak generation capacity". It says there is the "opportunity to help shape norms, expectations and markets so that electric vehicles are integrated" in the most cost-effective way possible. The government has said little before this on the role it could play in the development of this important sector. But it is now call- ing for views on how it and industry should bring forward smart charging propositions for consumers. A smart system inevitably means a more interconnected and digital system, open- ing the door to security issues. The paper makes it clear that building security into any solution will be a fundamental priority. It will potentially be the first time the energy system receives major guidance on how to implement cyber security. The consultation can no doubt expect a wave of input from all corners of an industry that has been waiting with bated breath. But the period of response is short. Businesses have until January to submit their views so that Ofgem can publish a plan in spring 2017. Heed the call The long-awaited call for evidence for the transition to a smart, flexible energy system holds little in the way of surprises, but at least allows the journey to get under way. Lucinda Dann explains. Ofgem's storage vision The final plan (expected spring 2017) will set out implementation tasks and timelines for the following: • Any further measures to make it easier for storage to connect to the network. • A decision on regulatory definition for storage and whether a new licence is required. • A decision on whether to create a new route for independent aggregators to access the balancing mechanism. • Ofgem's view on future distribution charging reform. • Proposals for changes to how the charging regime applies to storage. • A decision on how final consumption levies should apply to storage. • A decision on whether additional consumer protection is needed. • Direction on any further changes to roles and market arrangements to support system coordination and support appropriate valuation of flexibility. • Flexibility trading/optimisation platforms identified for government smart innovation funding. • Specific government smart innovation programmes. • Proposals for future funding/governance of Ofgem's network innovation competitions. Ofgem has finally opened the door to the creation of a smart, flexible energy system