Clearing
Clearing is carried out once a month by AGCS. To this end, every grid operator must send all
metering values for grid transfers and the quantities consumed for all suppliers active in its grid
to AGCS; this reporting includes storage and production volumes. Traders are under the obligation
to report schedules for imports, production, storage and trades to AGCS and the system operator
daily. Thus, AGCS has the complete set of data for the balance area Ost. The movements of every kWh
in the system of the balance area Ost are tracked by the accounting system of AGCS. In accordance
with double-entry bookkeeping, the kWh are reported on the credit and debit sides of the various
accounts. The data is gathered from an extensive database system.
Gas traders can only execute their contracts by submitting schedules to AGCS or the system operators. They supply the balance areas based on these import, storage and production schedules, or exchange gas quantities based on trading schedules within the balance area; the gas is obtained from their customers.
The entire system must be kept in balance - even in the case of imprecise consumption estimates by traders - because the supply of power to consumers in the quantities they need must be assured in all circumstances. The instrument that is available to the system operators for this purpose is the balancing energy market that forms the necessary buffer for the system.
To this end, APCS provides an online trading platform through which all companies that meet the technical requirements may place bids for tertiary control reserve. This has not only established a new market, but it also ensures that the gas grid is kept in balance at the most attractive bids.
Based on a market-oriented clearing pricing model (description available only in German language), the clearing prices are determined on a 1 hour basis. There is only one price per time unit. The costs of tapping balancing energy determine the clearing price:
The costs of this balancing procedure are allocated and invoiced accordingly to the market participants. This means that market participants are well advised to establish precise forecasts and adjust their schedules accordingly. Unsure forecasts cause balancing energy to be tapped by the system operator and the costs incurred in this case are billed per hour to the originating company; bad forecasting therefore means high balancing energy costs.
Gas traders can only execute their contracts by submitting schedules to AGCS or the system operators. They supply the balance areas based on these import, storage and production schedules, or exchange gas quantities based on trading schedules within the balance area; the gas is obtained from their customers.
The entire system must be kept in balance - even in the case of imprecise consumption estimates by traders - because the supply of power to consumers in the quantities they need must be assured in all circumstances. The instrument that is available to the system operators for this purpose is the balancing energy market that forms the necessary buffer for the system.
To this end, APCS provides an online trading platform through which all companies that meet the technical requirements may place bids for tertiary control reserve. This has not only established a new market, but it also ensures that the gas grid is kept in balance at the most attractive bids.
Based on a market-oriented clearing pricing model (description available only in German language), the clearing prices are determined on a 1 hour basis. There is only one price per time unit. The costs of tapping balancing energy determine the clearing price:
- During the hours in which gas is tapped, the clearing price is determined based on a volume-weighted average price of the quantities of gas tapped.
- During the hours in which no gas is tapped, the clearing price is determined by the delta of
the grid operator. AGCS then ascertains for all grid operators if they have delivered gas out of
system or have supplied gas into the system. The grid operators perform a balancing function during
these hours similar to the market and are paid for such function with market prices.
The costs of this balancing procedure are allocated and invoiced accordingly to the market participants. This means that market participants are well advised to establish precise forecasts and adjust their schedules accordingly. Unsure forecasts cause balancing energy to be tapped by the system operator and the costs incurred in this case are billed per hour to the originating company; bad forecasting therefore means high balancing energy costs.