Agder Energi and KMD will support the demand for increased flexibility in the Nordic energy markets through partnership agreement

Renewable energy is high on the agenda when it comes to the green transition. The EU has set ambitious climate goals which requires a shift from conventional to renewable energy, and in Denmark we have a goal of becoming 100 % reliant on renewable electricity. All electricity meters in the country have recently become smart meters.

While we are working on the transition towards renewable electricity, we also see an estimated increase in consumption with new and changing consumption patterns caused by e.g. the increased number of e-vehicles. The greater demand for electricity combined with increased dependency on the weather for production of electricity puts significant requirements on the infrastructure and the underlying IT systems.

KMD and Agder Energi will be providing IT solutions to help navigate those challenges for both grid operators and flexibility providers. For grid operators, the joint solution will help with monitorization including load management, investment planning, forecasting and grid analysis all accounting for available flexibility in the operator’s grid. Furthermore, the platform helps various consumers of energy (flexibility providers) to connect their respective assets to the marketplace where individual assets are incentivized to help contribute to balance and optimize the grid.

Agder Energi has worked to develop new flexibility solutions and services for more than ten years. The ambition is to optimize energy systems close to real time.

“New technology and innovation enable smarter, more sustainable and more effective production, distribution and consumption of energy. Flexibility is key in to achieve the transition from a fossil fuel-based energy system to a system relying heavily on variable renewable generation. Agder Energi has developed platforms and services for managing flexibility. The partnership with KMD is based on a common understanding on how the eco systems of platforms develop, and we are complementing each other,” says Rune Hogga, Head of Agder Energi Fleksibilitet.

The solutions are well tested and in operations in both Norway and Sweden, and the effect of utilizing flexibility to balance the grid is beginning to show. Being able to incorporate a larger amount of flexibility into the balancing of the grid will help both operators and large consumers of energy. The projects in Norway and Sweden have shown a significant potential in deferral of grid investments and increased grid resilience when electricity companies facilitate a more flexible grid operation.

“The flexibility solutions gathered on one common platform via this partnership allow us to help electricity grid operators and consumers to take advantage of the untapped potential of matching consumption patterns to the supply and capacity in the grid. This will help increase the amount of renewable energy in the system and utilize the potential of demand flexibility,” says Benjamin Nørby, Head of Industry Sales at Industry Sales in KMD.

The partnership strengthens KMD’s position in the energy market and helps the nation through an important transformation.

“The partnership will help the transition to a more sustainable energy system. Furthermore, the partnership will strengthen our position in the market by providing the Danish energy sector with innovative data driven solutions promoting sustainable behavior,” says Merete Søby who is EVP for Data Driven Solutions, KMD.

One of the core strengths of the strategic partnership between KMD and Agder Energi is the combination of skills. Agder Energi is an integrated utility company with in-depth knowledge and understanding of grid operations, while KMD is one of the largest IT companies in Denmark with capabilities and experience with developing, implementing and scaling IT platforms in the energy sector.

About Agder Energi

Agder Energi is a producer, manager, distributor, and retailer of electricity, serving Norwegian domestic customers and international businesses. From its 49 wholly owned and part-owned power stations in the south of Norway, Agder Energi is a Norwegian energy group that supplies clean energy to society and is actively involved in developing the renewable energy solutions of the future. Agder Energi is one of Norway's leading producers of renewable hydroelectric power with 49 wholly owned and part-owned power stations in the south of Norway. Agder Energi, together with its cutting-edge partners, has developed technologies for flexibility. Through Enfo (wholly owned) and the marketplace Nodes (50% ownership), Agder Energi aims to optimize the energy system close to real time. Agder Energi has around 1,000 employees and an annual turnover of NOK 14 billion, with offices in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, and Belgium. The majority shareholders are the twenty-five municipalities in the Agder county, who have a combined ownership interest of 54.475 percent. Statkraft Holding AS owns the remaining 45.525 percent of the shares.

About KMD

KMD, one of the largest Danish IT companies, develops and delivers software and service solutions for local government, central government and the private sector in Denmark as well as chosen segments in Scandinavia. The KMD Group has subsidiaries in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Poland. KMD has more than 1,500 Danish and international customers from the public and private sector, including around 800 Danish and international companies. The KMD Group has an annual revenue of around DKK 5.4 billion and more than 3,000 employees. KMD is a subsidiary of NEC Corporation, a global leader in the integration of IT and network technologies. Read more at kmd.net

Contacts

Agder Energi: Rune Hogga, Head of Agder Energi Fleksibilitet AS, +47 93403326, rune.hogga@ae.no
KMD: Anne Rosa Simonsen, Senior Press Officer, +45 2063 3133, gfs@kmd.dk