Notify the Offtaker of Power Limitation Instructions to Avoid Contractual Risks
This case study describes the successful implementation of an automated solution to collect power limitation setpoints sent by Red Electrica Española (REE) and automatically notify the market agent of the power limitation, total available power and the end of the limitation when informed by REE. The solution improved operational efficiency, reduced contractual risks and ensured accurate and timely notification of power limitation instructions across a portfolio of 20 PV assets in Spain.
CONTEXT
The client, a leading player in the solar energy industry in Spain, managed a portfolio of 20 PV assets. Accurate and timely notification of power limitation instructions from REE was essential for meeting contractual obligations with the market agent and avoiding the risk of non-delivery penalties.
CHALLENGES
The client faced the following challenges:
- Manual Notification: Manually entering the power limitation setpoints as soon as they were received on a web-based platform required
constant monitoring by the operational team. - Contractual Risk: Failure to notify the market participant in a timely manner could result in contractual risks and penalties.
- Efficient Operations: The manual process was labour intensive and consumed resources that could be better used for more strategic activities.
SOLUTION
Quintas Analytics developed and implemented a complete automated solution to address the above challenges:
- Automatic Collection of Limitations: A system was designed to automatically collect the power limitations issued by REE via email.
- Automatic Notifications for the Market Agent: The solution automatically sent the instructions received to the market agent, calculating the total available power of the plant and updating the register upon receiving notification of the limitation's end.
- Integration with the Web Platform: The solution integrated with the existing web platform to log and track notifications, freeing the management team from needing to perform this manual task.
RESULTS AND BENEFITS
Implementing the solution had a highly positive impact on operational efficiency and contract management:
1. Efficient Automation: The solution eliminated the need for constant monitoring of limitation orders and automatically notified the market agent.
2. Contractual Compliance: Timely notifications ensured compliance with contractual obligations by the market agent.
3. Risk Reduction: The solution mitigated the risk of penalties and contractual problems due to lack of notification.
4. Resource Optimisation: The team was able to allocate resources to more strategic tasks rather than constantly checking for the receipt of limitations.
5. Transparency and Follow-up: Integration with the web platform allowed transparent follow-up of notifications by the market agent.
CONCLUSIONS
The solution implemented for the automated management of power limitation setpoints in a PV portfolio in Spain proved to be highly effective in improving operational efficiency and mitigating contractual risks. Process automation, data collection and automatic notifications provided essential tools for effective management and reduced contractual risks. This solution sets a valuable example for the management of similar projects in the solar energy field.