Potential of demand flexibility for the future congestion management in the SBB grid
Mobility Initiative Project
The FLEXCON project aims to explore and maximize the potential of demand flexibility as a critical solution for managing future congestion in the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) electricity grid. This topic addresses the growing challenges posed by congestions in the SBB grid due to increased and volatile energy demand, planned or unexpected maintenance, and the integration of renewable energy sources. By leveraging advanced demand flexibility strategies, including the control of heating/cooling in trains, traction, and the utilization of mobile battery-equipped trains, FLEXCON seeks to enhance the operational efficiency and reliability of the SBB grid.
The project comprises two main activities: 1) identification of critical scenarios and 2) optimal deployment of available flexibilities in the SBB grid. The first activity computes the failure probabilities of the grid assets, generates failure scenarios, assesses their impact on grid security, and ranks the scenarios according to the risk they pose to the grid. A selected set of critical scenarios is utilized in the second activity. At the core of this activity is the innovative use of mobile battery-equipped trains within the railway infrastructure. These mobile units are deployed over all of Switzerland and offer a unique solution for dynamic load balancing. During peak demand periods or when maintenance activities reduce grid capacity, these battery-equipped trains can be positioned to either feed energy into the grid or absorb excess power, thereby preventing potential overloads and voltage violations.
The project builds upon established methods and tools developed by the partners for 50-Hz-grids, for example for bi-directional EV-charging management or risk analysis in transmission grids. With SBB’s integration of energy demand, production, grid management, and flexibility resources in one company, the results of FLEXCON project will have a high practical relevance and can serve as a showcase for advanced grid operation strategies beyond railway networks.
