**3.2 New agents: aggregators**

The role of the aggregator in smart natural gas system has been discussed in detail in previous research of Montuori et al. [2, 9]. This agent aggregates small and middle gas consumers, behaving as DR providers, and the stakeholders interested in using those services (such as transmission system operators, distribution network operators, retailers, etc.), who behave as DR requesters.

Aggregation in smart natural gas systems could be understood in two different ways:


One essential requirement for aggregators is to have appropriate monitoring and control equipment so as to offer reliable operation services to some particular stakeholders. Therefore, the massive rollout that is taking place in some countries, as mentioned earlier, will have a positive impact on this point since it will

help to further develop the role of the aggregator in smart natural gas systems (**Figure 2**).

One of the main advantages of aggregation would be related to the balancing of natural gas, which would avoid the need for the transmission system operator to purchase natural gas in the wholesale market during high prices periods. In this case, aggregators may offer the same service by increasing or reducing the amount of gas of their consumers. Moreover, this aggregated service would make the system behave more efficiently since the activation of a demand response service when more gas is required is translated into a reduction of the gas level in the network, which also reduces the risk of congestion. Additionally, demand response reduces the greenhouse emissions when the amount of gas is reduced but not shifted to other periods.

**Figure 1.**

*Roles to be played in a smart natural gas system [2].*

**Figure 2.** *Activities of the aggregator.*

*Demand Response Applications for the Operation of Smart Natural Gas Systems DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.101810*
