Implementation of the interface to Elia for the activation mechanism of the strategic demand reserve (SDR)
Context
In the context of risk management of electricity structural deficit during the winter periods, Elia has set up a strategic reserve mechanism. This strategic reserve, helping with the security of supply, can be of two types:
- The Strategic Generation Reserve (SGR).
The SGR is provided by production units which are able to inject a portion of their production into the electrical network if needed. - The Strategic Demand Reserve (SDR).
Any aggregator or user of the Elia network is allowed to participate in tenders for strategic reserve and become a SDR provider. The SDR provider commits itself to reduce the overall level of consumption of a site or group of sites at Elia’s request.
Pulsar has developed a web application to manage internal notifications of SDR type to companies who signed a SDR contract with Elia. Notifications can be sent by SMS or EMAIL.
As SDR supplier, a company must be able to respond to any request for activation of the strategic reserve. This activation is divided into 4 steps:
| SDR activation step | Description |
| 1. Detection | When the need to activate the strategic reserve is identified (based on technical or economic criteria), Elia selects among the units constituting the strategic reserve the ones that should be activated to cover the volume required at the right time. |
| 2. Notification | A notification is sent, a couple of hours before activation, to the selected suppliers so that they prepare their units to be ready to erase the requested volume at the exact moment, taking into account their activation delay (‘Warm-up’ period). This preparation phase can last up to 5 hours. It may be canceled without notice by Elia. At the end of this notification phase, Elia confirms whether to enter the verification phase, whether to extend the notification phase or whether to cancel the activation request. |
| 3. Verification | At this time, Elia confirms the need and the required volume of energy. Elia instructs the providers to activate the service, to maintain it ready or to stop it. So it is always possible to cancel the activation before the activation phase. The maximum duration of this verification phase is 1h30. |
| 4. Activation |
This is the actual delivery of strategic reserve, starting when the requested level is supposed to be reached up to the stop request. The activation phase is interrupted at any time by Elia as soon as the activated volumes are no longer needed. The SDR suppliers must maintain, throughout the period, their energy consumption under the ‘Shedding Limit’ foreseen by the contract. |
SDR notification Solution - PULSAR
Overall Scheme
Description of the solution
- Web Server with database, hosted in the "cloud" and maintained by Pulsar.
He takes in charge- The reception of Elia’s queries (XML message through HTTPS)
- The interpretation of these queries
- The generation of notifications via EMAIL and SMS.
- A Client Web application allowing:
- System administration (notifications management, persons notified, email address, mobile number, …)
- Consultation of the last messages received from Elia.
- Possibility to add:
- A local history of notifications
- Interactions with on-site physical systems (digital exit, etc.)
Some screenshots of the administration web application
- Configuration Screen
- Configuration screen for users to be notified
- List of persons to notify by SMS and by EMAIL
- History of sent messages (SMS and EMAIL)
