Introducing the Global Observatory:
The Users TCP Global Observatory on Peer-to-Peer,
Community Self-Consumption & Transactive Energy Models
(GO-P2P) by IEA
Alexandra Schneiders (Operating Agent GO-P2P)
Users TCP Academy Webinar, 18/11/20

Aim of today’s webinar
 Introduce GO-P2P
 Emerging findings so far
 How to join
 Q&A / discussion

The Users TCP and the International Energy Agency (IEA)
 The International Energy Agency (IEA) is an intergovernmental
organisation that works to shape a secure and sustainable future for
all, through a focus on all fuels and all technologies, and analysis and
policy advice to governments and industry around the world.
 To facilitate global cooperation on energy technology, the IEA created
the Technology Collaboration Programme (TCP). Today, the Users TCP
is one of 38 TCPs, each focused on a different topic. Together, they
connect thousands of experts across government, academia and
industry in 55 countries dedicated to advancing energy technology
research and application.
 The Users TCP is functionally and legally autonomous from the IEA.
Views and findings of the Users TCP do not necessarily reflect those
of the IEA.

 Decentralisation of energy system
 Energy self-consumption through
P2P/TE & CSC: solution to grid
management challenges.
 Facilitated by technologies such as
DLTs (e.g. blockchain).
 Roll-out of pilots in China, US,
Europe etc.
 New laws recognising right to P2P.
Background

• Connected smart
meter: imported and
exported electricity is
measured and
recorded by the
system.
• Based on data, system
matches buyers and
sellers of self-
generated renewable
energy and then settles
(financial) transactions
between them.
Energy trading: how does it work?
Source: McKinsey & Co.

What is the Global Observatory (GO-P2P)?
 GO-P2P is the first international pre-competitive and early
stage research collaboration on the whole systems
implications of local energy models.
 Leading institutions researching peer-to-peer energy trading
(P2P), transactive energy (TE) and community self-
consumption (CSC) models.
 International exchange of valuable evidence on factors
determining uptake of these models and their viability.
 Platform for collaboration between all stakeholders in the
P2P/TE/CSC fields (policymakers, businesses, NGOs,
researchers).

What is GO-P2P? (2)
 Start: 3 September 2019
 Duration: Three years + six-month reporting phase
 150 participants
 Sectors: Academia (108), Industry (33), Non-profit (9)
 Countries:
 Eight member countries: Australia (4); Belgium (11); Ireland
(10); Italy (10); Netherlands (10); Switzerland (13); United
Kingdom (47); United States (8)
 Two accession countries: Germany (14); Colombia (8)
 Participants from ten other countries support this
work through providing technical and scientific expertise (15)

Structure (sub-tasks)
 ST 0: Research design and management + Analysis of findings –
University College London (United Kingdom)
 ST 1: Power system integration – Lucerne University of Applied Sciences
and Arts (Switzerland)
 ST 2: Hardware, software & data – International Energy Research Centre
(Ireland)
 ST 3: Transactions and markets – Carnegie Mellon University (United
States)
 ST 4: Economic and social value – University of New South Wales
(Australia)
 ST 5: Policy and regulatory – Florence School of Regulation/European
University Institute (Italy)

Structure (2)
Sub-tasks will gather data on P2P/TE/CSC pilots in member countries and conduct
international comparative analysis (ICA) using Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA),
which is a method allowing for the comparison of different policy contexts.
ST1: Power System layer
ST2: Software layer
ST3: Markets layer
ST4: Econ/Social layer
ST5: Policy & Regs layer
ST0: Research design and management.
ST6: ICA of
case studies
Outputs:
- Common success factors
- ‘Readiness Index’ by country

Key Deliverables
 Sub-task reports on state of art and key challenges by
functional stack layer.
 Country level reports on key factors determining the
uptake of P2P/TE/CSC business models.
 National Readiness Index rating of participating
countries to adopt P2P/TE/CSC models.
 In parallel, participants collaborate through
conferences sessions, journal special issues, and
contributing to IEA and CEM reports where
appropriate.

International engagement
 Close engagement with key int’l stakeholders,
including:
• International Energy Agency (IEA)
• International Association for Trusted Blockchain
Applications (INATBA): New GO-P2P/INATBA Task
Force launched in September 2020.
• International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
• OECD

GO-P2P/INATBA Task Force
 International Association for Trusted Blockchain
Applications (INATBA) - EU initiative launched in 2019
 Largest global policy focused initiative on the
application of DLTs across all economic sectors,
including energy
 Aim: study P2P/TE/CSC pilots using distributed ledger
technologies (DLTs) such as blockchain  assess
standardisation efforts in the field
 Any member of GO-P2P and INATBA can join the Task
Force

Current status GO-P2P
Wrapping up Phase 1 (laying groundwork for case studies):
 Sub-task literature reviews: Describe the current state of
knowledge covered by each sub-task, i.e. challenges and
knowledge gaps.
 Research strategy document: Common data collection
protocols needed to ensure case study data can
be analysed by a common method such as qualitative
comparative analysis (QCA).
 Concept definition paper: Framing characteristics of pilots
we will select for analysis- based on sub-task group
interviews run by UCL - results in next slides.

Emerging findings: Essential characteristics
 Power Systems layer (ST 1): P2P/TE/CSC systems operate autonomously,
promote self-consumption and support renewables integration.
 ICT and Data layer (ST 2): ICT supports future ‘big data’ needs; meets local data
protection laws; supports device level agents acting on user preferences;
provides traceable identity of machines.
 Transactions and Markets layer (ST 3): Enabled by digitalisation and integration
of devices and communication; able to trade commodities and services; can
capture value from flexibility and balancing; are decentralised.
 Social and Economic layer (ST 4): Supports trading between social units;
generates, modifies, or reinforces social values; simultaneously located in
home, community and market spheres of economy.
 Policy and Regulation layer (ST 5): Provides bottom-up governance; provides
legal recognition of prosumers etc.

Emerging findings: Potential clashes
‘Bottom-up governance model reflecting decentralisation’ (ST 5)  potential clash
with characteristics ‘Systems operate autonomously’ (ST 1) and ‘Market determined
pricing (including dynamic pricing)’ (ST 4).
 Comment: To what extent can systems be automated to still be called ‘peer-to-
peer’?
‘Ability to trade commodity i.e. energy, or services’ (ST 3)  potential clash with
characteristic ‘Open and equitable access to P2P/CSC/TE models (bottom-up market
design)’ (ST 4).
 Comment: There may be a conflict between making markets open to everyone,
and some providers wanting to cherry-pick valuable participants.

Emerging findings: Potential clashes
‘Market determined pricing (including dynamic pricing)’ (ST 4)  potential clash
with characteristic ‘Prosumer-centric markets’ (ST 3).
 Comment: Market-determined pricing is not a pre-requisite of a P2P/TE/CSC
model, as prices may be negotiated democratically - in some micro-grid
projects, the precise returns and savings are a product of negotiation.
‘P2P/TE/CSC systems include Advanced Metering Infrastructure ('smart meters')
capable of measuring flows (imports and exports) across the meter at different
timeframes depending on market requirements’ (ST 2)  potential clash with
characteristic ‘Open and equitable access to P2P/CSC/TE models (bottom-up market
design)’ raised by ST 4.
 Comment: Key question here is who owns and has access to the smart meter
data.

Legal/regulatory challenges
• Data privacy
• Rights and responsibilities of sellers/buyers on a P2P/TE/CSC
system
• Validity of trading contracts, particularly ‘smart contracts’ (in
the case of blockchain)- this will be explored through recently
launched GO-P2P/INATBA Task Force
• Different regulatory approaches: sandbox vs prescriptive legal
provisions
• Different aims of P2P/TE/CSC schemes, e.g. US more grid-
centric approach vs EU more prosumer-centric approach

Summary
 GO-P2P is an international forum for understanding the
policy, regulatory, social and technological conditions
necessary to support the wider deployment of P2P/TE/CSC
models.
 Leading research institutions contributing.
 Valuable for all stakeholders: policymakers, businesses,
non-profits, researchers.
 More information on our website:
https://userstcp.org/annex/peer-to-peer-energy-trading/
 We welcome new participants!

 Policymakers
• International comparative evidence base for policymaking.
• Early identification of policy challenges from other countries.
• Early access to the latest research from leading research institutions.
 Businesses/non-profits
• Market knowledge on case-studies and national readiness.
• Work in a pre-competitive environment with all stakeholders.
• Engage with leading researchers and research students.
 Researchers
• Join a global community of leading researchers in the field.
• Maximise your impact through informing global bodies like
International Energy Agency (IEA) & Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM).
• Work collaboratively to define and grow the field.
Why should I join?

 High-level Observatory findings are primarily targeted at
policymakers and regulators.
 Policymakers & regulators can engage in three ways:
 As nationally designated delegates of the Users TCP;
 As designated ‘policy contact points’ working directly in
the P2P/TE/CSC area;
 By notifying us that you would like to be kept informed of
outputs and the work of the Observatory.
How can I participate?
- Policymakers and regulators

 Observatory findings support policymakers at national &
international levels, as well as companies and non-profits
working with P2P/TE/CSC models.
 Businesses/non-profits can participate in two ways:
1) Become a TCP Sponsor (~€10k/annum). This allows you to:
 Join the Annex Steering Committee;
 Attend TCP ExCo meetings with all member country
delegates;
 Participate directly or indirectly in other TCP Annexes;
2) Become a researcher/expert participant – see next slide.
How can I participate? – Business/non-profits

 Researchers/experts are the driving force of the Observatory,
collectively shaping its deliverables.
 As a participating researcher/expert you will:
• Join one or more sub-tasks aligning with your expertise;
• Contribute to sub-task and country specific deliverables;
• Contribute to conference sessions, special issues, etc as
desired;
• Help undertake case-studies of P2P/TE/CSC pilot projects in
your country to support the development of the National
Readiness Index;
• Attend Observatory meetings whenever possible.
How can I participate? – Researchers/experts

 Researchers/experts from any sector can participate as
National Experts in the Observatory.
 All participants cover their own costs
 Many government provide funding either directly, or
through funding agencies, to support participants.
 IEA TCP Annexes provide global leverage and impact for
your research. Participants should ensure their
Observatory work aligns with existing research.
How can I participate? – Researchers/experts (2)

Thanks for your attention!
For more information on GO-P2P, please don’t
hesitate to get in touch:
Alexandra Schneiders (a.schneiders@ucl.ac.uk)

userstcp.org
Webinars Annexes

userstcp.org