ACM’s draft decision on group transport agreements marks an important step for energy hubs

The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has published a draft decision regarding the introduction of group transport agreements for large-scale users. Group transport agreements are an important building block for energy hubs in which businesses are able to coordinate supply and demand at the local level. As a result of this coordination, less transport capacity is needed for the group as a whole. As a result thereof, more capacity is freed up on the grid, including in areas with transport capacity shortages (called congestion areas).

Manon Leijten, Member of the Board of ACM, explains: “Group transport agreements help businesses in finding scarce transport capacity. They’re an important element in the fight against grid congestion, and they’re important for the development of energy hubs. By working together in a group, businesses will soon be able to coordinate their consumptions locally. The grid will thus be used more efficiently, as a result of which transport capacity will be freed up.”

System operators have, for some time now, been given opportunities to gain experience through pilot projects with offering group contracts for transport capacity. ACM took those experiences into account when drawing up the draft decision. Market participants have six weeks to respond to ACM’s draft decision. ACM expects to hand down a definitive decision in the fall of 2025, after which system operators are able to offer group transport agreements on a larger scale.

Measures against grid congestion

Making group transport agreements possible is one of the actions that ACM is taking to solve the problem of grid congestion. An overview of all measures can be found on ACM’s website (in Dutch). This week, ACM has added two definitive measures to that overview: the code decision on contracted transport capacity as well as the code decision on real-time interface.

With the code decision on contracted transport capacity, ACM makes sure that large-scale users in congestion areas are no longer automatically allocated extra transport capacity if they exceed the agreed-upon capacity. In those areas, large-scale users can only get more transport capacity if they file a request with their system operator. With the code decision on real-time interface, ACM ensures that system operators are able to operate generation plants and storage facilities quickly and accurately. As a result, they are able to take quick action in the case of impending grid congestion, and the grid will be used more efficiently.