Landing Page: GridBeyond largest provider of 1s (very fast) raise Contingency FCAS in the NEM

GridBeyond largest provider of 1s (very fast) raise Contingency FCAS in the NEM

On the 9 of October two new energy markets started in Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM); the Very Fast Contingency Frequency Control Ancillary Services (FCAS). When this article was written (10 December 2024) GridBeyond has become the largest provider of 1s (very fast) raise Contingency FCAS.

What is FCAS?

FCAS refers to a set of mechanisms and services implemented within power systems to regulate and stabilise grid frequency by providing a fast injection or fast reduction of energy, to manage supply and demand.

FCAS operates through a combination of market-based mechanisms and technical solutions. It involves a range of services aimed at both managing sudden imbalances in supply and demand (known as contingency events) and providing continuous adjustments to maintain frequency stability.

The Very Fast Contingency Frequency Control Ancillary Services launched in 2023 are designed to ensure there is enough frequency response in the system to deal with a single credible contingency – typically the loss of a large generating unit or major industrial load.

FCAS finds application in various sectors. To participate assets are required to respond to a fall or rise in frequency within about a second or less by changing the output of their generator or load to attempt to arrest that fall or rise in frequency. Batteries, for example, can dispatch their stored energy to support the grid during times of high demand or unexpected fluctuations.

Participants can deliver very fast FCAS while also delivering fast, slow and delayed FCAS. This means if a participant is already providing contingency FCAS, and has fast enough meters and operational response times, then they’d likely want to participate in the very fast markets. When participating in the FCAS market, participants typically work through aggregators, such as GridBeyond, that coordinate multiple sites.

1s (very fast) raise Contingency FCAS

GridBeyond’s FCAS Auto-rebidder combines sophisticated hardware control with backend software algorithms, this solution automates the real-time bidding process for dynamic loads in  the FCAS market (a real-time, 5-minute market). This enhanced capability allows GridBeyond to optimise the bidding strategy for customers with large, dynamic loads, such as metals companies, leading to a significant increase in their revenue. Its success so far has meant that, with 145MW, GridBeyond is now the largest provider of 1s (very fast) raise Contingency FCAS.

For example, applied to a metal furnace, FCAS Auto-rebidder takes real-time signals from the operation and determines the stage of the melt process. Knowing the state of the melt process, allows it to determine if there is going to be a change in load in the upcoming 5-minute period. If the melt process will end before the end of the upcoming 5-minute period, there is an opportunity to bid out of market and disarm the controller on the furnace. This is useful for spikey loads, as a demonstration for the metal industry, to maximise the number of trading periods that they are in market for.

In addition to FCAS, our other Demand Response programs run concurrently, allowing our customers to maximise their total annual value. By optimising their flexibility assets across multiple programs, they can achieve greater efficiency and profitability while supporting a stable and reliable grid.

The GridBeyond Advantage:

1. Market Leadership: GridBeyond’s FCAS Auto-rebidder is an advanced solution combining real-time hardware control and software algorithms to automate bidding in the FCAS market.
2. Revenue Maximisation: Our technology is designed to optimise performance for large dynamic loads, such as metal furnaces, enabling clients to maximise participation and earnings in multiple trading periods.
3. Concurrent Programs: In addition to FCAS, our Demand Response programs allow customers to leverage flexibility across multiple markets, delivering higher annual value and operational efficiency.
4. Proven Expertise: GridBeyond’s solutions have delivered measurable success, with metals companies already achieving substantial revenue boosts by optimising their energy flexibility assets.