The ongoing electrification of the heat and transport sectors makes grid bottlenecks in distribution networks more likely. This could make electricity grid expansion necessary unless existing flexibility in consumption and generation can be exploited. In order to leverage this flexibility potential, coordination mechanisms are required to make signals of scarcity from the electricity market and the power grid transparent. For example, smart charging of electric vehicles could reduce the expansion requirements of distribution grids even with significantly more electric vehicles. However, there are still technical and regulatory hurdles to overcome for successful implementation.
