Network code on requirements for generators — A discussion. Resynchronizing with paradigm shifts

The Network Code on Requirements for Generators, known also as RfG, is the most recent document approved by the European Commission that recommends the technical conditions for connection and operation of all types of generators in the ENTSO-E zone. Although RfG was published in the Official EU Journal in 2016, each EU member country is responsible to adopt it in the form that best suits to its characteristics. Therefore, the latest achievements in deployment of storage and renewables technologies should be also considered. Moreover, the new concepts included in the EU winter package (2016) for empowering the citizen and encouraging prosumer’s self-consumption, resilience and efficiency requires careful analysis of the document. This paper aims at identifying some shortcomings of the proposed document, based on latest technology advancements and societal aspirations, and proposes a new approach that allows synchronizing the new network codes with the smart grids paradigm shift.