Greek Electricity Market: Protergia And Emsys VPP Commission First Virtual Power Plant

Oldenburg, Germany / Athens, Greece - Greek energy company Protergia and German virtual power plant specialist Emsys VPP officially inaugurated the first Virtual Power Plant in the Greek energy market at the Renewables & Storage Forum in Athens on 21 October 2022.

Protergia, the electricity and gas division of stock-listed Mytilineos S.A., had contracted the German IT service provider to provide its Virtual Power Plant software in combination with solar and wind power forecasts for Protergia's aggregator unit. In close cooperation with Protergia, Emsys VPP customised and implemented the Virtual Power Plant, including plant connection and integration of solar and wind power forecasts provided by Emsys VPP's partner company Energy & Meteo Systems.

With the help of the complete software-as-a-service solution for aggregators, Protergia has digitally connected its portfolio of own and third-party wind and solar power plants. The aim is to monitor, forecast, remotely control and market the variable electricity production of the wind and solar energy plants in real time. Emsys VPP also supports Protergia in the operating phase of the virtual power plant, including the flexible connection of further assets.

Driven by the Greek electricity market reform, the need for Virtual Power Plants and electricity power forecasting is increasing in Greece. Continuous intraday electricity trading will be introduced in Greece by the end of 2022. From then on renewable energy plants have full balancing responsibility, facing significant costs in case of deviations between forecasts and actual production.

In addition, renewable generation plants in Greece will soon have the opportunity to actively participate in the balancing energy market, opening up an additional revenue option.

The project by Protergia and Emsys VPP is funded as part of the Renewable Energy Solutions Programme of the Energy Export Initiative of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection.

Source: IWR Online, 04 Nov 2022