What is aFRR (automatic frequency restoration reserve)
What does aFRR mean?
aFRR is the abbreviation of “Automatic Frequency Restoration Reserve”, which is automatic frequency recovery reserve. It is a frequency regulation service used to maintain frequency stability in power systems.
It can be thought of as a backup energy source that can be automatically put into operation when the power system frequency deviates from normal levels to restore the frequency to a suitable range.
Simply put, aFRR is like a backup fire brigade, ready to respond to possible frequency fluctuations in the power system. In the past the provision of this reserve energy was usually provided by the national electricity system. With the increase in commercial energy storage systems, some are now gradually being provided by individuals or companies.
How aFRR works?
Unlike manual frequency recovery reserve (mFRR), which can be manually activated by the dispatcher, aFRR is automatically activated in response to grid disturbances. Its purpose is to restore the frequency to the nominal value of 50 Hz.
aFRR is a centralized automatically activated reserve. It activates based on the activation request signal sent by the TSO. Activation requests are calculated based on the frequency deviation of the Nordic synchronization zone and are sent every 10 seconds.
Once activated, aFRR will remain in place for a period of time until the grid returns to balance. Compared to FCR (Frequency Control Reserve), aFRR is a longer-term response used to restore grid frequency after FCR activation.
mFRR&aFRR&FCR difference
| Feature | FCR (Frequency Containment Reserve) | aFRR (Automatic Frequency Restoration Reserve) | mFRR (Manual Frequency Restoration Reserve) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Activation Time | Seconds | Minutes | Minutes to Hours |
| Adjustment Method | Automatic, continuous | Continuous monitoring and gradual | Manual activation and adjustment |
| Duration | Short-term (minutes) | Longer-term (up to several hours) | Extended period |
| Main Purpose | Immediate response to frequency deviations | Restoring frequency after FCR | Long-term balance restoration |
Related projects
PICASSO
The Platform for the International Coordination of Automated Frequency Restoration and Stable System Operation (PICASSO) is a project supported by all TSOs through the ENTSO-E Market Committee to establish a European platform for the exchange of balancing energy from aFRR.
MARI
MARI stands for Manually Activated Reserves Initiative and has been operational since October 2022. It is the European platform for mFRR or tertiary reserve steering. The goal is similar to PICASSO in that it specifies activation and operational parameters for devices with a ramp-up time of 12.5 minutes.
Goals of aFRR
With a fully functional internal energy market, different European countries with different national energy systems will be able to trade on a pan-European platform. A free internal market would enable energy consumers to become more active participants in energy markets.
This could mean generating your own electricity, investing in energy storage or investigating demand-side response. It could also mean taking better advantage of demand-side flexibility; technology allows customers to adjust demand to reduce costs and carbon emissions.
aFRR compensation method
Remuneration for aFRR The remuneration structure for Balancing Service Providers (BSPs) in the Automatic Frequency Restoration Reserve (aFRR) and the Manual Frequency Restoration Reserve (mFRR).
In both types of balancing services, remuneration is usually divided into two parts: capacity price/capacity remuneration and energy price/balancing energy remuneration. Here’s an explanation of these two forms of compensation:
Capacity Price/Capacity Remuneration:
This compensation is paid to the balancing service provider for maintaining a certain amount of spare capacity. This means that BSPs are paid to ensure that they can quickly activate this capacity (for example, to increase or decrease generation, or to adjust electricity consumption) when needed (for example, when the grid is unbalanced). This compensation ensures that sufficient resources are available when an imbalance occurs.
For example, suppose a BSP commits to providing 10 MW of regulated capacity at any time. In that case, they will be paid a certain amount based on the committed capacity, regardless of whether the capacity is activated.
Energy Price/Balancing Energy Remuneration:
This remuneration is paid based on the balance of energy the BSP provides. This means that when their resources are activated to help restore grid balance (for example, when they increase or decrease generation to help restore system frequency to normal levels)
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