What is GOPACS?
GOPACS is an important platform to reduce capacity shortages in the electricity grid (congestion) and helps to keep the grid reliable and affordable. GOPACS is a collaboration of the Dutch grid operators and unique within Europe.
The energy transition and economic growth require more and more capacity from the power grid. As a result, it is increasingly common for the electricity grid to be full. There is then more demand for (transporting) electricity than the electricity grid can handle. We call this congestion. The grid operators are obviously working very hard to strengthen and expand the electricity grid to meet this growing demand. But this will not be achieved overnight. GOPACS helps grid operators better match electricity supply and demand to reduce congestion in the electricity grid.
When there is congestion in the power grid, grid operators distribute the limited space on the power grid. So this happens at times when the demand for electricity transmission is higher than the electricity grid can handle. Is this demand too high at a certain time? Then the grid operators use GOPACS to ask large business customers whether they can temporarily use or generate less electricity for a market-based fee. The space thus freed up is shared among other grid users. This creates more space on the electricity grid and, at the same time, the customer receives compensation for the capacity he did not need at that moment anyway. A win-win situation.
GOPACS allows large and small market players to easily monetise their available flexibility and help resolve congestion situations. Also, the cooperation of grid operators ensures that solving congestion in one part of the electricity grid does not cause a problem in another part of the grid at another grid operator.
GOPACS is not a trading platform. For GOPACS, the grid operators have teamed up with energy trading platforms ETPA and EPEX SPOT. Through these platforms, participants can submit their flex offers for GOPACS.
For whom is GOPACS interesting?
Participation in GOPACS is of interest to any market player that can influence its electricity consumption or electricity generation and thus has flexibility in energy use available to trade. Think, for example, of a solar farm temporarily turning off some solar panels, or a wind farm reducing the capacity of some wind turbines or a company that can temporarily consume more or consume less electricity or store it in a battery.
Maarten Abbenhuis - COO, TenneT
GOPACS helps to keep the electricity grid reliable
What People are saying about GOPACS
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."
GOPACS is an initiative of the Dutch grid operators:
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.
