10.10.2025
On October 9th, the international forum “Balancing Europe’s Energy System: Challenges, Solutions, and Prospects,” organized by Energy Club, took place in Vienna. The event brought together leading experts, regulators, investors, traders, representatives of technology companies, and system operators for an open discussion on the main issue of modern energy: how to ensure the stability and security of the power grid amidst the global transition to renewable energy.
The Energy Context: New Challenges for an Old System
The European energy system is undergoing the most significant transformation in a century. The growing share of renewables, decentralization of generation, and electrification of industry and transport are changing the fundamental principles of the energy market. Traditional balancing tools—such as gas-fired power plants, pumped storage hydro, and imports—no longer guarantee stability.
The goal of the forum was to create a space for professional discussion on new approaches to balancing the energy system, to exchange practical experience, and to develop solutions that will enable operators, regulators, and market participants to adapt to the rapid changes in the sector.
The first panel was dedicated to analyzing the current state of balancing in the European energy system, regulatory changes, and the limitations of existing market models.
Jasmina Trhulj, Head of the Electricity Unit at the Energy Community Secretariat, outlined the regulatory challenges for Ukraine in the context of adapting to new realities and emphasized the need to create market conditions for the development of flexibility.
Rafael Gómez-Elvira, Chair of the NEMO Committee (OMI Group), spoke about the specifics of market design, the integration of Day-Ahead and Intraday segments, and new rules for exchange trading. He presented a vision for the development of the SDAC and SIDC market coupling, aimed at increasing liquidity in the Intraday market and creating conditions for Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) operators to participate in capacity trading.
Stephen Woodhouse, Director at AFRY Management Consulting, focused on the economic aspects of balancing and the stability of investments in BESS. He analyzed the new risks for investors and regulators and also considered the possibility of applying price caps and floors in balancing markets to reduce volatility.
Victor Kamyshev, Chief Strategy & Growth Officer for Central Europe at GE Vernova, presented modern technological solutions for grid balancing, including long-duration energy storage systems for seasonal balancing and “self-healing grids” that ensure an automatic system response to emergencies.
The second panel focused on digital technologies, demand-side management, energy storage systems, and the role of consumers in the new energy model.
Øyvind Vessia, Director of Regulatory Affairs at Ørsted, analyzed the impact of regulation on the effective integration of offshore wind farms into the TSO grid, the development of hybrid projects, and the implementation of BESS for providing Black Start services.
Volodymyr Shvedkyi, CEO and Co-founder of Energy Trade Group LLC, shared his experience in managing extreme price volatility in the Day-Ahead and Intraday markets, as well as practical approaches for traders working with BESS assets in a complex market environment.
Dr. Michael Merz, Managing Director and Co-founder of PONTON GmbH, highlighted the challenges for the SDAC/SIDC mechanisms (EUPHEMIA and XBID) in the next 5–10 years. He stressed the need to adapt market coupling algorithms to the growing share of RES, develop new market products, and optimize the interaction between Transmission System Operators (TSOs) and storage operators (BESS).
Stephen Woodhouse, concluding the second panel, addressed the issue of future regulatory incentives for Distribution System Operators (DSOs) and Transmission System Operators (TSOs), emphasizing the importance of aligning their cooperation in flexibility management to build an efficient and reliable energy system.
The Vienna forum became an important platform for open dialogue among representatives of regulatory bodies, system operators, traders, analysts, and technology companies.
Experts agreed that the future of balancing Europe’s energy system lies in a combination of flexible technologies, digital tools, smart regulation, and the active participation of consumers in the market.
Event attendees received access to speaker presentations and practical materials, which will allow them to apply the knowledge gained in the strategic and technical planning of their own companies.
Energy Club continues to facilitate the discussion of the most pressing issues of energy stability and Ukraine’s integration into the European energy space.
