Electricity Distribution Networks in the Decentralisation Era

Rahmatallah Poudineh is a Senior Research Fellow and Director of Research at the Oxford Institute of Energy Studies. Christine Brandstätt is a Visiting Research Fellow at the Oxford Institute of Energy Studies and Assistant Professor with the Copenhagen School of Energy Infrastructure at Copenhagen Business School.  Farhad Billimoria is a Visiting Research Fellow at the Oxford Institute of Energy Studies.

• 1. Introduction.- 2. Electricity distribution networks and decentralisation paradigm.- 3. The evolving role of distribution networks: from network operator to system operator to platform provider.- 4. Regulated charges for access to and utilisation of networks.- 5. Improving efficiency: flexible network access regime and auction for allocation of network capacity.- 6. Local markets for decentralised flexibility services.- 7. Electricity distribution networks in the context of energy system integration.- 8. Unbundling in electricity distribution networks.- 9. Effective regulation of electricity distribution networks.- 10. Conclusions.