João Mello

Abstract

Abstract
Energy allocation rules are one of the core aspects of collective self-consumption (CSC) regulations. It allows final consumers to share their surplus generation with other CSC members, while keeping their full rights as consumers, i.e., maintaining a supply contract with the retailers of their choice. Some European Union member states regulations use allocation coefficients so that local allocations are integrated with wholesale settlement and directly affect the retailers' billing. Several AC methods have been proposed so far, each one adapted to distribution system operators' settlement procedures with specific rules that can impact the benefits that each CSC member obtain. This paper analyses, assesses and compares two relevant AC methods, namely pre-delivery fixed AC and post-delivery dynamic AC, by developing a settlement formulation for a community with members with flexible assets and different opportunity costs. AC policy recommendations based on findings are provided.

Abstract
The integration of renewable generation requires new sources of flexibility, including the flexibility from distributed resources that can be unlocked via local flexibility markets (LFMs). In these markets, aggregators (AGGs) offer the flexibility from their portfolios to the flexibility requesting parties (FRP), i.e. system operators or other balancing requesting parties. To bid in LFMs and manage market uncertainty, AGGs must compute the flexibility they are willing to offer at each possible flexibility market price, by optimizing their portfolios. This paper proposes a 2-stage methodology to compute the flexibility bidding curve that an energy community can send to a LFM when behaving as an AGG of its members resources. At stage 1, the energy community (EC) manager computes the optimal EC operation without flexibility provision, minimizing the EC energy bill, and serving as the baseline to verify the flexibility provision. Then, at stage 2, for each possible flexibility price, the EC manager computes the optimal flexibility to be offered, minimizing the EC energy bill but including the flexibility provision incomes, to build the flexibility bidding curve.

Abstract
The European Union is pushing its members states to implement regulations that incentivize distribution system operators to procure flexibility to enhance grid operation and planning. Since flexibility should be obtained using market-based solutions, when possible, flexibility market platforms become essential tools to harness consumer-side flexibility, supporting its procurement, trading, dispatch, and settlement. These reasons have led to the appearance of multiple flexibility market platforms with different structure and functionalities. This work provides a comprehensive description of the main flexibility platforms operating in Europe and provides a concise review of the platform main characteristics and functionalities, including their user segment, flexibility trading procedures, settlement processes, and flexibility products supported.

Abstract
Sustainable agri-food systems seek to deliver food affordably and sustainably, without compromising the economic, social, and environmental bases for current and coming generations. Food-energy systems integrating renewable energy sources contribute towards this sustainability, and new solutions are being proposed in the literature or implemented in real facilities. This work reviews the existing literature on the integration of renewable energy, cross-sector energy efficiency and flexibility approaches, circular economy, digital solutions, and energy communities' (EC) structures within the agri-food sector. It proposes a formal classification of the main solutions found and describes the associated Business Models (BMs) to support their actual development cost-effectively. The main roles, actors and value propositions are reviewed, and a case example of an EC to be developed in Portugal in the Tools4AgriEnergy project is also described. The EC is based on floating PV panels to power water distribution pumps and share the surplus with local agri-food industries.