Real laboratory for testing performance-based and time-variable grid tariffs

Since the energy system is changing significantly due to the increased use of decentralized renewables and new technologies, such as electric vehicles, new tariff models are needed to allocate electricity grid costs in a way that is still fair to those who cause them. This issue has already been the subject of studies in Austria, but has not yet been tested.

The project “Reallabor am Netz” aims to test new grid tariff models - for example, time-variable or performance-based grid usage charges - within the framework of a regulatory sandbox.

The supply area of the network operator Kraftwerk Glatzing-Rüstorf serves as the basis.

All steps along the billing chain of gridk charges are analyzed. This includes the requirements for data collection and billing, the necessary software, the energy data exchange (EDA), the reactions of the network users and the effects on the costs for network users and network operators.

Special attention will be paid to the development of the software required for billing as well as to incentives for behavioral changes of the grid users towards a grid-serving behavior.

New tariff models are being tested in a real laboratory, implemented at the network operator Kraftwerk Glatzing-Rüstorf.

Some of the users are informed comprehensively about possible changes in their consumption behavior. Subsequently, it will be analyzed whether the offered network tariff models provide sufficient incentive to induce the desired change in behavior.

Finally, recommendations for the regulator and the legislator regarding the implementation of new network tariff models as well as the impact on the cost bearing of network operators and the related regulatory requirements are elaborated.

• AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH
• Energy Services Handels- und Dienstleistungs GesmbH
• Kraftwerk Glatzing-Rüstorf eGen
• Peter Muckenhuber Consulting