BTR

The new regulations introduced by the Federal Network Agency in October 2021 as part of Redispatch 2.0 brought about various changes for the German energy market. In addition to a large number of additional obligations and requirements imposed on existing market players, two further market roles were created with the aim of optimizing power plant deployment planning: the deployment manager (EIV), who is primarily responsible for the deployment planning of generation plants, and the technical resource operator (BTR). The specific tasks can vary from case to case and overlap, with many companies still lacking a clear understanding of what the BTR role entails in detail. It is therefore not surprising that although both roles are actually intended for the respective plant operators, in practice they are often performed by direct marketers or other specialized service providers. As in many respects when it comes to Redispatch 2.0, the same applies to the BTR: there is a considerable gap between aspiration and reality.

This is clearly evident, for example, in the way compensation is paid for curtailing generation plants. While the original plan was for the regulating grid operator to balance the replacement quantities in the accounts, thereby eliminating price and quantity risks for direct marketers, a transitional solution now provides for financial compensation, as was already the case with Redispatch 1.0. The price and volume risks have thus been shifted back to the direct marketer and balance group manager (BKV). The BTR's obligations include communicating with the grid operator to acknowledge the regulated quantity via EDIFACT-CONTRL message, checking it, and then approving or rejecting it. This electronic exchange is subject to its own regulations and is separate from other GPKE communication (and therefore does not take place via AS4).

Normally, the process works as follows: After the grid operator has curtailed a generation plant, it sends the corresponding control quantity to the associated BTR, which in turn compares it with the forecast generation quantity. If the BTR approves the transmitted quantity, it is made available to the direct marketer for further processing. However, in order to receive financial compensation from the grid operator, this must be actively invoiced to them – which led to a number of problems, especially at the start of the regulation. On the other hand, a situation that is extremely unusual for the highly regulated German energy market arises if the BTR does not agree to the transmitted quantity. This is because communication between the BTR and the grid operator in such a clarification case is subject to virtually no regulation. In practice, this usually means picking up the phone.

What may sound quite straightforward at first glance poses considerable challenges for plant operators, direct marketers, and others in their day-to-day business, because, as is so often the case, the devil is in the details. Above all, when it comes to billing and market communication, the right software and expertise are crucial. External providers can help by taking over the tasks of the BTR and, for example, handling communication with the grid operator or invoicing. Even though it is difficult to predict how the market role will develop in the future—and given the general frustration with Redispatch 2.0 and initial considerations regarding Redispatch 3.0, further changes are to be expected—affected market players with partners such as AKTIF are flexibly positioned and secured on the process side, even with regard to exceptional cases in the process flow.