As overall energy consumption continues to grow, the needed effort to improve resource use also increases in relevance. Renewable power production is continuously growing in parallel to the increase in consumption, and the grids which host these resources are starting to feel the pressure; in turn, decreasing the efficiency of the system at large. To achieve a successful energy transformation and meet the environmental goals, an opportunity is presented to society by modern technology. This technology has a caveat: the shift from passive to active consumption. This could mean, e.g. charging the electric car or heating the house according to energy availability and/or grid stress. But no need to panic! This modern technology can include automation features to reduce the perceived impact to the minimum, while providing a point of access for consumers to the energy market. This enables consumers to learn about the energy markets by participating in them, while reducing both the energy bill and the carbon footprint of energy use due to the better use of renewable resources!

Does this mean everybody must become an active consumer? Not necessarily!

But, with enough participants, the environmental goals would be within closer reach. And no one consumer is too small to participate! Through the formation of energy communities and the use of aggregation technology, small consumers can unite and reach the impact which industrial facilities may have individually. So, if active participants, together with their interconnected resources (forming a so-called internet-of-energy), are to shape the energy system of the future, all of these resources and processes must fit together. This allows for the energy system to optimise its operation together with the active participants. Leading to savings for all society.

In former times everybody knew how to put a plug in an outlet. In the future, active citizens need to know how to provide flexibility at the right point of time, as well as how to communicate this availability in a standardised way. Through the development of standards, no company is left out and new developments can be made compatible with the advancements achieved to date.

With this in mind, we invite all interested stakeholders to collaborate in the development of flexibility solutions for a future energy system which steps up to the challenge of reaching the environmental targets in a timely manner.