Redispatch
In Germany, the Redispatch process controls the use of generation plants and prevents the supply of energy from these plants from causing bottlenecks in the power network. For this purpose, a network operator corrects the previously planned use of the generation plant by the operator.
Basis for Redispatch 2.0
Changes within the framework of the Network Expansion Acceleration Act (NABEG 2.0), which came into force in May 2019, have resulted in amendments to the Energy Industry Act (EnWG). The previous requirements for feed-in management in accordance with the Renewable Energies Act (EEG) and the Combined Heat and Power Generation Act (KWKG) will be repealed and transferred to a uniform Redispatch regime (Redispatch 2.0) in accordance with Sections 13, 13a, 14 of the Energy Industry Act (EnWG). Redispatch 2.0 is to be implemented from 1 October 2021 and currently affects all generation and storage plants with an output from 100 kW upwards. This results in new requirements for all market partners. The previous feed-in management is to be largely replaced.
The new process
In the previous process, only large conventional power plants participated in the Redispatch process. Generation plants for renewable energies were not initially taken into account. As the renewable energies plants are being significantly expanded as part of the energy transition and are now providing the majority of electricity generation, they are increasingly causing bottlenecks in the electricity network and must therefore be regulated by the network operators in the short term. In order to keep the curtailment of renewable energies to a minimum in the future, the renewable energies plants are to be taken into account in deployment planning to the same extent as conventional power plants and included in the Redispatch process.
The network operators have created the new Redispatch 2.0 process for this purpose. The process ensures the exchange of data between network operators in Germany for all power generation plants of 100 kW and upwards and ensures that, in the event of bottlenecks, only the most cost-effective generation plants, which are the most effective for eliminating bottlenecks, need to adjust their output.
Basic procedure
The key process steps of Redispatch 2.0, application guides, the introduction scenario and definitions of terms, were drawn up in the Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft e.V. (Federal Association of Energy and Water Industry - BDEW) and are available on the BDEW website.
Essential documents:
- Industry solution Redispatch 2.0 (data exchange, accounting, billing)
- Application guide: Introduction scenario
- Application guide: Resource ID (TR and SR ID)
- Detailed processes for network operator coordination
There are also various specifications from the Federal Network Agency for the new Redispatch process:
- Specification procedure for accounting for Redispatch measures (BK6-20-059)
- Specification procedure for network operator coordination when implementing Redispatch measures (BK6-20-060)
- Specification procedure for providing information for Redispatch measures (BK6-20-061)
- Notification on the adaptation of data formats for handling market communication
Participants in Redispatch 2.0
In general, the new process affects all plant operators with generation plants from 100 kW and above installed output (including emergency power generators) and all power network operators in Germany whose network these plants are connected to.
Our implementation
We identify all plant operators and plants with an output of 100 kW or more and contact the plant operators before the process starts. The procedure for each plant is coordinated and all plants receive a unique ID. The plant operators are obliged to provide information about the affected plants.
Question and answers
Who is affected by the new Redispatch process?
In general, the new process will affect all plant operators of generation plants with an installed output of 100 kW or more and all network operators whose electricity network these plants are connected to.
The data for these plants must also be provided without the individual plants being called up.
Are emergency power generators included in the new Redispatch process?
Yes, at least in the exchange of master data, there are no exceptions for emergency power generators and basic data must also be provided for these plants by the plant operator.
Why is the new Redispatch process being implemented?
The new process is being introduced in order to include power generation from renewable energy plants as early as possible in the network and power plant deployment planning and to keep the restriction of renewable energies as low as possible at the end.
When will the new Redispatch process start?
The new process will start on 1 October 2021. Separately from this, bilateral exchanges and, in particular, the allocation of SR and TR IDs will already begin beforehand.
Each connection network operator can also specify the start of the master data exchange of all affected plants in their network for their network operation. The earliest start for this is 1 July 2021.
In our network area, the exchange of master data via RAIDA starts on 16 August 2021.
What is RAIDA / Connect+?
In order to be able to technically implement the new Redispatch processes and, in particular, to manage data exchange throughout Germany, various network operators have founded the Connect+ implementation project.
The result of Connect+ is the RAIDA data platform, which will be used to exchange data between plant operators and operations managers with the network operators.
What data will have to be exchanged in the future?
As part of the Redispatch process, there are various categories of plant data that are exchanged between plant operators, operations managers and network operators.
This includes master data, which generally has to be exchanged once and then in the event of changes, as well as planning data, non-availability and real-time data, which are exchanged continuously. The individual data fields can be found in the specification for the provision of information by the Federal Network Agency (BK6-20-061).
How is data to be exchanged?
Data exchange between plant operators, operations managers and network operators takes place with RAIDA.
For information on how to use RAIDA, see:
https://netz-connectplus.de/
What are TR and SR IDs?
In the new Redispatch process, all affected technical plants receive resource IDs for unique identification.
There is one ID for the technical resource (TR ID) and another ID for the controllable resource (SR ID).
Technical resources are technical plants such as a CHP or a biomass plant. Each technical resource is assigned to exactly one controllable resource. Several technical resources can also be assigned to a controllable resource.
The definitions of terms can be found, for example, in the introduction scenario of the new Redispatch process from the BDEW (Federal Association of Energy and Water Industry).
For data exchange to work, these IDs must be coordinated between the plant operators, operations managers and network operators before the process starts.
Who assigns and allocates the resource IDs?
The TR and SR IDs are generally assigned to the individual plants by the connection network operator and coordinated with the plant operator.
The IDs are assigned by the BDEW and can be obtained from:
https://bdew-codes.de/
What are plant operators, operators of technical resources and operations managers?
The plant operator is a legal entity and can assume several roles. In many cases, all three roles are performed by the plant operator.
Plant operator (PO)
Person responsible for the operation of the plant
Technical resource operator (TRO)
Person responsible for the operation of a technical resource. In the process, this may include the transmission of real-time data, the provision of ex-post data for determining the amount of energy to be accounted for or downtime.
Operations manager (OM)
This is the legal entity designated by the plant operator of generation, storage or consumption plant for the network operator, who, on behalf of the plant operator, conducts the necessary coordination with the respective instructor in accordance with Section 13(1) of the Energy Industry Act (EnWG).
Which power plants will be called up in the future?
The new process means that no significant changes to the call-up frequencies or sequence are expected.
The process optimises the call-ups of the previous Redispatch process and feed-in management, but does not change the basic system and the network bottleneck situation in the electricity network.
Are plant operators compensated after Redispatch call-ups?
With Redispatch call-ups, plant operators will be in the same economic position as if the intervention had not taken place. The compensation payments for call-ups depend on the type of plant.
What are the minimum factors?
Minimum factors are assigned to renewable energy and CHP plants and help keep the restriction of renewable energies and CHP plants as low as possible. Both plant types receive higher (calculative) prices in the redispatch process due to the minimum factors (factor 10 for renewable energies and factor 5 for CHP plants) and are therefore only called after other plants in the call-up sequence. However, it is not only the (calculated) price, but also the proximity to the bottleneck that is decisive for the call-up sequence of plants. The network operators determine on the basis of both variables for which plants are controlled to eliminate a network bottleneck.