Since its launch in 2014, the NEBEF mechanism (Notification d’Échange de Blocs d’Effacement) has enabled aggregators and consumers to offer demand reductions directly on the wholesale market. In short, it paved the way for the economic valorization of flexibility and the reduction of demand during times of stress on the grid.

Ten years later, NEBEF is evolving into NEBCO (Notification d’Échange de Blocs de Consommation). This reform, driven by RTE and integrated into the market rules, reflects the structural transformation of the power system.

Why this change?

The French and European energy context is no longer what it was in 2014. The rapid growth of solar and wind now leads to frequent episodes of overproduction, with market prices that are sometimes negative or zero and excess generation that needs to be absorbed.

Until now, flexibility was essentially understood as a temporary reduction in demand. Today, it must also mean increasing or shifting demand when the system needs it.

That’s the purpose of NEBCO: no longer only to reduce, but to actively steer consumption in both directions depending on the state of the system.

What does it mean in practice?

Operationally, the logic of “demand reduction blocks” is extended to “consumption blocks.” This means that consumers or aggregators can now monetize not only their demand reductions, but also their positive adjustments — by anticipating or postponing consumption in connection with these reductions.

Concretely, upward adjustments must remain proportionate and directly linked in time to a reduction. For example:

• EV charging stations shift their charging sessions from the morning (8–10am) to midday (12–2pm), when spot prices are low and renewable generation is abundant.
• An office heating system anticipates its heating during the night (4–6am) instead of the early morning (6–8am), to benefit from cheaper prices and reduce pressure on the morning peak.
• A stationary battery charges at midday (anticipation) and later helps reduce site consumption (reduction) using the stored electricity.

Benefiting from spot price volatility without risk

Financially, the mechanism is straightforward:

• When consumption is reduced, the consumer (or aggregator) pays the block of “non-consumption” at the supplier settlement rate and resells it at the spot price.
• When consumption is shifted upward, the opposite applies: the block is bought at the spot price and resold at the supplier settlement rate.

The fixed settlement price cancels out in both cases. The only remaining value is the spread between spot prices — creating an incentive to reduce demand when prices are high, and to shift or increase demand when prices are low or negative.

Get paid for helping the power system

In short: NEBCO finally allows consumers to benefit from spot price volatility and get paid for the flexibility of their usage — with no extra cost and no operational complexity.

At Tilt Energy, as an RTE-certified flexibility operator, our technology platform maximizes the value of these opportunities. Thanks to advanced consumption forecasting algorithms and a deep understanding of electrical uses and their thermal inertia, we make sure all your flexibilities are activated at the right time.

👉 Contact our team today to activate this new value stream.

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