Completion of first automated flexibility procurement

Project LEO is really pleased to announce a new milestone was reached as we ran our first end-to-end flexibility procurement process.

LEO project partner Piclo, have developed a series of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), which means the ‘Piclo Flex’ marketplace software was able to automate manual procurement practices.

This functionality integrated Piclo Flex with Scottish and South Electricity Networks’ (SSEN) Neutral Market Facilitator (NMF).

The trial then saw the NMF automatically send details of local flexibility competitions to Piclo Flex, where they were advertised. This resulted in the Low Carbon Hub, registered on Piclo Flex as a flexibility service provider, bidding for the flexibility contract.

Piclo Flex’s APIs then automatically delivered the provider’s bids to the NMF for assessment, following which SSEN decided to accept them.

The successful development of this end to end API is a culmination of hard work, resilience and innovation and represents another significant step forward for Project LEO.

Rory Brown, Stakeholder Manager for Oxfordshire Projects at SSE

DSOs are increasingly looking to procure local flexibility services to ensure the resilience and efficiency of the grid during periods of constraint.

The process for flexibility procurement has largely been manual, and therefore at risk of human error and limiting who can participate. The automation of this process means a turning point for local flexibility markets.

APIs are an integral tool for standardising processes, reducing operating costs, and delivering the scale, efficiency and closer to real-time procurement we need for a net zero energy system. We look forward to continuing our ongoing collaboration alongside the Project LEO partners.

James Johnston, CEO and co-founder of Piclo