Energy transition explained

The day before delivery. Generally used in the context of electricity spot markets.

A commonly used term for customers that are not residential (or domestic) customers. Example commercial customers include retailers, hospitals, small and medium enterprises. Industrial customers include factories, manufacturing plants and energy intensive industries such as steel production.

In the energy sector, downstream refers to the processing, distribution and delivery of the energy to end use markets and consumers. Downstream markets are either wholesale (business-to-business) or retail (business-to-customer). Upstream refers to the oil and gas exploration and production business. The midstream typically refers to the bulk transportation, storage and associated infrastructure. 

A term that means an appliance is able to use hydrogen or can be easily converted to do so.

Causing or resulting in a zero or small net release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

In the energy sector, midstream refers to the bulk transportation, storage and associated infrastructure. It is a less common term than upstream and downstream but the logistical and storage infrastructure in oil and gas supply chains is often a key source of competitive advantage and therefore it can be an important segment in its own right. Downstream refers to the processing, distribution and delivery of the energy to end use markets and consumers. Upstream classically refers to the oil and gas exploration and production business.

Refers to the balance between the amount of greenhouse gas produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere. Net zero is reached when the amount we add is no more than the amount taken away. 

Directive 2014/94/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure. It establishes standard rules on rolling out the EU’s alternative fuels infrastructure (i.e. electric car recharging stations or natural / hydrogen gas refuelling points) in the different EU countries. It lays down minimum requirements for building up this infrastructure, to be implemented as part of every EU country’s national policy framework.

A trading market for energy that is generated and financially settled during real time.

The process used by electricity system operators to balance electricity supply and demand close to real time. It includes a variety of services like frequency response, reactive power, demand side response.

Units of trade within the Balancing Mechanism. Each BM Unit accounts for a collection of plant and/or apparatus and is considered the smallest grouping that can be independently controlled.

Entities responsible for maintaining supply and demand on the energy markets. Each BRP must strive to be balanced in real time, and that BRP is financially responsible for the imbalances to be settled with the connecting TSO.