Over the past 30 years, Unicorn Systems has become one of the leading suppliers of information systems for the European energy sector. This prominent position is further reinforced by a decade-long collaboration with the Joint Allocation Office (JAO), a key player in the unified European electricity market. JAO specialises in organising auctions for cross-border transmission capacities and providing services that support electricity trading across Europe.
Unicorn’s systems, developed in close cooperation with the JAO and numerous European Transmission System Operators (TSOs), have been continuously adapted and refined to meet evolving demands and opportunities. This long-standing partnership reflects Unicorn’s deep roots and proven reliability as a trusted technology provider in the European energy landscape.
A Game-Changing Call from Belgium
It all started in the late 2000s with a tender to design the first platform for several European Transmission System Operators (TSOs). The task was to deliver initial components for data exchange and process management. Unicorn won the tender, but ultimately, the project was cancelled.
Fortunately, conclusions often lead to new beginnings. Our solution caught the attention of a key figure shaping the architecture of European energy systems. Just before Christmas 2008, this individual reached out to Unicorn’s Prague headquarters, setting in motion our collaboration with the Belgian TSO, Elia.
For Elia, we developed the first components for data exchange and process management among European TSOs. This led to the creation of the Energy Communication Platform, which later became the standard for data exchange within the European energy sector.
Building a System for Continental Europe
In 2015, JAO was established as the successor to CASC (Capacity Allocation Service Company). Drawing on our experience with ATC-based capacity calculations, we were tasked with developing an advanced solution for the Central Western Europe (CWE) region: flow-based capacity calculations. This method optimises capacity by considering physical flows and network constraints across all regional borders. Our solution was successfully deployed by 2015.
As market unification progressed, the CWE and Central Eastern Europe (CEE) regions merged into a single Core region, encompassing the continental area from France to Romania. Leveraging our unique expertise, we developed a solution for this entire region. In 2018, we proposed a modern microservice-based architecture and iterative approach. Our approach was approved, and in June 2022, the Core Capacity Calculation Tool for daily market capacity was successfully launched.
Transitioning to Modern Architecture
This milestone marked the deployment of the Unicorn Enterprise Platform, our universal platform for delivering robust solutions. Built on Unicorn’s Mobile-First IoT-Ready Cloud Architecture, it integrates modern technologies and processes, over 500 principles and patterns, and decades of expertise.
Amprion hosted the solution in a private cloud environment facilitated by Unicorn’s uuCloud Management Environment. This system enhances reliability, simplifies deployment processes, and strengthens operational capabilities while adhering to the highest security standards.
This solution’s modular structure allowed us to focus on domain-specific challenges while reusing prepared components. This approach accelerated development, improved cohesion, and ensured high reliability.
Addressing New Challenges
With rapid technological advancements, new opportunities and challenges continually arise in the energy sector. Building on our expertise, we expanded the Core system to include intraday and long-term capacities. Intraday capacity calculations were launched in May 2024, enabling more dynamic trading within the European energy market.
Ready for the Future
Our collaboration with European TSOs spans decades of innovation and reliability. Partnering with JAO since its inception in 2015, we’ve consistently demonstrated professionalism, adaptability, and innovative thinking. As the energy sector faces ongoing challenges, including those brought by the European Green Deal, Unicorn remains committed to delivering efficient solutions, leveraging our extensive experience and strong partnerships across the energy market.
2009
Cooperation with ELIA
Common components for European TSOs
2012
Cooperation with CASC
ATC-based capacity calculation
2015
The Joint Allocation Office was established
Flow-based capacity calculation launched (20.5.2015)
2019
Beginning of the new generation for Core
Implementation based on UAF
2022
Launch of the Core Capacity Calculation Tool
for day-ahead market in the Core Region
2024
Launch of the Core Capacity Calculation Tool
for intraday market in the Core Region
Strong Partnerships Built on Trust and Delivery
“Unicorn has been a reliable, flexible, and knowledgeable IT partner throughout the preparation of the Flow-Based (FB) day-ahead capacity calculation in the Core region. Unicorn provided the quality and timely delivery of the FB Core Capacity Calculation tool system in the dynamic and complex energy market environment.”
Sawan Bruins, Project Manager – Magnus Energy
About JAO
Link: jao.eu
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