Figure 20 : The impacts of variable generation on the flexibility time line .
Figure 21 : The Balancing Mechanism between Variability and Flexibility
requirements . An example of the ability of such DR to provide flexibility is found in France , where six million domestic water heaters , equivalent to 12GW of potential demand , are centrally controlled to modify electricity demand . Demand response flexibility from large consumers is also used in France to provide a two-hour ramping reserve in critical periods .
For the Malaysian electricity supply industry in the future , VG resources , principally solar power plants , are set to increase significantly as part of the Government drive to promote green sustainable energy for powering and lighting up the nation .
However , these VG resources will require increasing the flexibility of the national power system grid . Assessing these new flexibility needs , the resources available to meet them , and the system flexibility adequacy , will probably be a significant aspect of the system planning and business development functions of the national utility board ( TNB ). There is no one-size-fits-all solution to increasing flexibility . Options that achieve the technical objective of fulfilling flexibility needs must be evaluated economically so that low-cost solutions can be offered to the customers through institutionalised market access mechanisms .
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