Join GOPACS!

GOPACS is an initiative of the Dutch grid operators:

Participating in GOPACS

Every market party with the ability to influence electricity consumption or the generation of electricity, which therefore has flexibility available, can participate in GOPACS. Participation in GOPACS does not require strict pre-qualification and validation processes.

GOPACS also offers market parties new opportunities. Combinations of buy and sell orders that are not matched on the market platform can still be matched via GOPACS. The grid operators pay the price difference between the buy orders and the sell orders (the spread) if specific requirements are met:

The combination of orders contributes to solving congestion
It does not aggravate congestion elsewhere in the electricity grid
The grid balance is maintained
The combination of orders chosen is the most cost-efficient solution.

Participating in GOPACS is easy. GOPACS is not a market platform, but it is interacting with the ETPA market platform (more electricity market platforms are to follow in the future), so you can place your orders via the ETPA platform. An order can only be processed via GOPACS if the delivery location data is provided too. Additionally, you have to accept and sign the terms and conditions of GOPACS. Per order you can decide whether or not the location data is made available for GOPACS.

Cost of participating in GOPACS

No extra costs are involved in orders forwarded via GOPACS. Market parties only pay the usual costs for trading on the ETPA market platform. You do have to provide the location data with your orders and you have to agree with the terms and conditions of GOPACS, so that your orders can be forwarded via GOPACS.

Technical adjustments to be able to participate in GOPACS

Your orders need to include the data of the delivery location. Without this data, participation in GOPACS is not possible. Market parties interact only via the ETPA market platform. You do not trade on GOPACS directly. Everything takes place via the market platform. Apart from ensuring you provide the location data with your order, some adjustments in your systems may be required, for the order has to be delivered at the respective location. Furthermore, from the moment that an order is activated via GOPACS, at this location planned production or consumption at the delivery location can no longer be adjusted in the opposite direction of the call via GOPACS.

Trading

Participants do not trade directly via GOPACS but via the ETPA market platform (or other market platforms in the near future). For participating in GOPACS, the location data (EAN code) is required. The EAN code is only visible to the grid operators, but via the EAN code the order can be traced back to the bidder.

GOPACS helps to keep the electricity grid reliable

Maarten Abbenhuis - COO, TenneT

An important means of preventing congestion

"In recent years we have seen the cost of resolving congestion increase significantly. TenneT is increasingly deploying the GOPACS platform, which is an important means of preventing congestion. The purpose of GOPACS is to give more parties with flexibility easy access to a growing market for congestion services. Orders on the GOPACS platform contribute to the most cost-effective solution to congestion and solutions can come from all grid areas, from all thinkable assets and from across the country.”

What People are saying about GOPACS

Vitor Campos
Power trader - Optimax Energy

"Optimax Energy is very enthusiastic about GOPACS because it allows us as a young trading company to participate in a congestion management mechanism in the Netherlands through a very transparent and well-defined process. Energy markets are changing rapidly and we believe these mechanisms also need to evolve to meet the challenges ahead in a more innovative and clear way."

Rob Oostrom
Owner - Kwekerij Lijntje

"Because of my contribution to solving the congestion problem via GOPACS, I have an extension to get more out of my CHP. This offers me a better return."

David Leo
Head of Short Term Trading - Engie

"We embrace the transparency that GOPACS brings us in various areas: GOPACS clearly indicates where there are network problems and thus where we cannot further fine-tune our power stations. It also clearly indicates which volumes are sought and traded. This transparency benefits competitiveness."

Bernard Wilmet
CEO - Powerhouse

"Congestion is an important social problem that is only increasing. That is why we were one of the first to join. Powerhouse is convinced that we can offer a solution to the transport problem with the Gopacs platform and the power of our customers."

Flex available?

Join GOPACS! Participating in GOPACS is interesting for every market party with the ability to influence electricity consumption or the generation of electricity, which can offer this flexibility to trade.