Frequency response markets are in a period of transition, as the Electricity System Operator (ESO) looks to usher in a new suite of three faster-acting frequency response services that can better manage frequency changes on a low inertia, high renewables system. Dynamic Containment (DC), the first of these new services, had a soft launch in October 2020, the low frequency component of DC (DC-LF) is live alongside the existing suite of slower-acting frequency services: Firm Frequency Response (FFR), the weekly auction trial and Mandatory Frequency Response (MFR).
In this ‘Chart of the week’, we look at trends in the procurement of frequency response services, discuss how they interact today and where they will move in the future.