AGCS: about us
AGCS is the balancing group coordinator and clearing and settlement agent in the Austrian gas market (distribution area east).
AGCS operates the balancing group system, determines the imbalancing energy for each balancing group on the basis of planned grid feed-ins (schedules) and withdrawals and actual values (metering values) and settles these with the balancing group representative(s) (BGR). Furthermore, AGCS provides and operates the merit order list auction platform, the Supplier Switching Platform (ENERGYLink), the self-storage and the Biomethan Register Austria neutrally and independently. The AGCS systems for the gas sector are almost identical to the electricity market systems and are therefore designed to perform sector coupled.
The balance group model operated by AGCS forms the basis of the liberalised Austrian gas market. Suppliers, natural gas traders and end consumers are aggregated into a balance group. The supply and delivery of natural gas is balanced within such a virtual balance group. Every network user must belong to a balance group or form a balance group itself. Suppliers and some of the large end customers have a direct contractual relationship with the balancing group representative(s) (BGR) and are therefore referred to as direct balancing group members. Most end customers are indirect members of the balancing group via a supply contract with their gas supplier. The economic responsibility for the balance group as well as the external representation of the balance group lies with the balancing group representative(s) (BGR).
The supplier switching platform, known to the Austrian energy sector under the brand name “ENERGYlink” and operating invisibly in the background for consumers, has been handling supplier switches in Austria since 2013. The supplier switching platform is a high-performance secure communication system, receives encrypted data records and forwards them to the registered supplier and grid operator according to precisely coordinated communication schemes. The complexity and size of the ENERGYlink project requires close cooperation between all market participants in the energy sector, for which the clearing and settlement agent (balance group coordinator) provides a dedicated project team and operates a hotline. To enable smaller market participants to be involved in the switching process, a free self-storage service is offered as part of ENERGYlink.
The balancing group coordinator of the Austrian gas sector is mandated by the Green Electricity Act (ÖSG 2012) to issue certificates for biogas (biomethane) injected into the Austrian gas grid. For this reason, AGCS has been operating the Biomethan Register Austria since 2012, which enables a system of traceable, secure ownership transfer of biomethane energy quantities fed into the gas grid. This creates the basis for the subsidy of biomethane for electricity generation by the Austrian Green Power Settlement Agency OeMAG, one of the main application purposes for biomethane in Austria. Through cooperation with other competent bodies for the documentation of energy quantities from biomethane, information exchange is performed, ensuring that no energy quantities are counted or recorded more than once in Austria.
The cooperation with experienced partners from the IT sector (smart technologies Management- Beratungs- und BeteiligungsgesmbH) and the banking sector (Oesterreichische Kontrollbank Aktiengesellschaft) as well as the synergetic processing by CISMO Clearing Integrated Services and Market Operations GmbH form the basis for a secure, efficient, and economic fulfilment of all legal tasks. Considering the continuously changing market rules and the dynamic requirements of the market participants, the systems are continuously developed and adapted - according to the latest technical findings. Compliance with security and control mechanisms regarding data protection and the corresponding settlement processes and neutrality are top priorities for AGCS. AGCS thus enables efficient and cost-effective settlement processes.
AGCS is located in the Palais Liechtenstein in Vienna's 9th district. Palais Liechtenstein is also home to other energy and IT companies which service the Austrian energy market (electricity and gas). Thanks to the proximity, the location has a unique pool of know-how. This allows efficient cooperation to support the market participants in the challenges of the liberalised gas market in the best possible way. The AGCS team is always available to market participants as a competent partner.