The problem of resilience in multi-carrier cellular systems: responsibilities and regulation

The 'Web-of-Cells' concept allows for decentralised operation and management of a cellular European electricity grid, allowing increased local participation in electricity system management, while maintaining the application of existing network codes and their requirements for security and resilience. This also potentially increases the number and volume of participants in providing ancillary services. However, a further dimension of energy system evolution is the increased coupling of electricity and gas systems, both potentially undergoing significant change in the move towards low-carbon electricity and gases, with deep operational interdependencies which have the potential to create new modes of failure. We identify how system coupling and decentralised, cellular operation will require novel approaches to system planning and operation to manage extreme events. We highlight the new responsibilities that will be required to maintain system resilience. We also discuss the importance of understanding the resilience of the individual energy consumer to the broader nature of resilience in a whole-system context, and how this can be used to inform future regulatory concepts.