The Energy Networks Association (ENA) has launched a consultation on the next version of its standard contract for flexibility services.
The contract was created through the ENA’s Open Networks Project, with an aim of providing a consistent GB-wide core agreement for those looking to provide flexibility to the networks.
Key recommendations in the proposal for this latest version include reducing the contract length by almost 50%, modifying the wording to ensure it works for aggregators, increasing alignment with National Grid ESO’s approach and ensuring parties have access to a range of dispute resolution mechanisms.
Recommendations also include incorporating a framework structure which allows one or more contracts to be awarded, with this to encourage more buying/selling of flexibility services, and retaining the simplicity of previous versions of the contract while also allowing the sharing/publication of relevant data.
The consultation is set to close on 22 October, with the updated contract to be published at the end of the year.
The ENA said it will help take the transition to the smart grid to the next level, and marks another step forward in bringing consistency across the industry.
The contract was first created in April 2020, before being updated in March 2021.
Farina Farrier, head of Open Networks Project at Energy Networks Association, said the consultation comes at a time when flexibility is at the forefront of the industry’s mind, and encouraged interested parties to get involved to “help us shape this next iteration together”.