Translated with DeepL
Under the motto of the conference "Control instead of build: smart markets and grids", representatives of the energy industry and researchers presented a wide range of approaches to both new technologies and innovative business models for the electricity supply. The Swiss Federal Office of Energy also presented current developments in energy policy. One key word was "flexibility": it is about how electricity can be offered and accessed more dynamically so that the distribution grid does not have to be greatly expanded.
The topic is a moving one - as demonstrated by the numerous questions and comments from around 170 participants at the event. Much is currently unclear on the path to the energy transition due to the upcoming referendum on the Electricity Act in the summer and because the specific implementing provisions for this bill have not yet been finalised. The various stakeholders from the fields of research, administration and the energy industry expressed some very different views on the issue and suitable solutions; for example, on the question of whether flexibility markets could relieve the electricity system or would cause additional bottlenecks. However, there was agreement that electric cars will play an important role in the future due to their growing demand for electricity and because they bring significant energy storage capacity to the grid, which should be utilised intelligently. A pilot project on this topic is also presented in the SATW's current Technology Outlook.
The new study, published by SATW in collaboration with NCCR Automation, addresses these uncertainties and describes the challenges, opportunities and development possibilities for distribution grid operators. Read more in the publication "Future visions and technologies for distribution grids".
As a partner organisation, SATW supported the NetzImpuls event organised by its member company Electrosuisse. Further information on the event can also be found in the review by Electrosuisse (in German). The SATW is also a partner at the Electrosuisse events Energiezukunft (5 November 2024) and Forum Romand de l'Énergie (27 November 2024) in autumn - make a note of these dates or visit the overview of all Electrosuisse conferences (in German).
