From Hourly to 15-Minute Market Time Units: Turning Compliance into Competitive Advantage

Why 15-Minute Matters 

Electricity markets have long been shaped by the rhythm of hourly settlement. But with intermittent renewables, grid-scale batteries, and demand-side flexibility becoming central to the energy mix, hourly blocks are no longer precise enough. 

Moving to 15-minute MTUs: 

• Reflects the physical realities of balancing modern systems 
• Enhances cross-border coupling and market efficiency 
• Improves integration of renewable and flexible assets 
• Opens the door to more liquid intraday and balancing markets 

This isn’t just more granularity. It’s the foundation for a faster, more flexible, and more interconnected European power system. 

The Hidden Challenges 

The transition is not as simple as “multiplying by four.” It reshapes the entire technology stack and operating model. Key challenges include: 

1. Exploding Data Volumes 

• Time-series data quadruples overnight, increasing storage, validation, and compliance demands. 
• Forecasting and optimisation models must cope with new levels of resolution and volatility. 

2. Legacy System Strain 

• Many platforms are built with hourly assumptions embedded in their core logic. 
• Moving to 96 intervals per day impacts business logic, APIs, settlement, and operator integration. 
• “Patchwork” fixes are risky; without architectural change, businesses risk unstable and brittle systems. 

3. Forecasting and Trading Complexity 

• Models trained on hourly patterns underperform when exposed to intra-hour volatility. 
• Dispatch and bidding algorithms must evolve to operate at higher speed and precision. 
• Testing becomes more complex: daylight saving shifts, market boundary conditions, and error handling multiply in scope. 

4. Operational Readiness 

• Traders, risk managers, and compliance teams will need new tools, reports, and training. 
• Businesses that treat this as an IT project risk overlooking business process impacts. 

Where Forward-Looking Businesses Will Win 

Handled well, 15-minute MTUs become a strategic lever, not just a compliance box-tick. Businesses that adapt can: 

• Monetise volatility through more agile intraday strategies 
• Unlock the full potential of battery storage and demand response 
• Compete effectively in cross-border markets where 15-minute alignment is essential 
• Reduce settlement and imbalance costs by acting on more granular insights

The opportunity is not just to “cope” but to reimagine how trading systems deliver competitive value. 

How Digiterre Helps Clients Stay Ahead 

At Digiterre, we specialise in building and modernising the business-critical systems that energy trading depends on. We see the 15-minute shift as a catalyst to build platforms fit for the future. Our focus is on four areas: 

• Legacy System Modernisation 
  We identify embedded hourly logic and refactor or wrap systems so they can evolve without wholesale replacement. This preserves investment while enabling agility. 
• Scalable Data Infrastructure 
  We design pipelines and time-series architectures that can absorb four times the data and still deliver speed, resilience, and regulatory precision. 
• Smarter Forecasting and Algorithms 
  We work with trading desks to retrain forecasting models, re-engineer dispatch strategies, and design decision-support tools that thrive on intra-hour granularity. 
• Market and Operator Integration 
  We can help manage complex API integrations with operators such as EPEX SPOT and TSOs, ensuring your systems are compliant and future-ready. 

How Generative AI Accelerates the Transition 

The scale of system change can feel daunting. This is where Generative AI, applied responsibly, becomes a force multiplier. With Ascendion AAVA – our enterprise-ready AI platform – we accelerate delivery and reduce risk by: 

• Identifying and refactoring legacy code with time-resolution dependencies 
• Automating data pipeline generation, testing, and documentation 
• Assisting in model redevelopment and algorithm retraining 
• Generating real-time reports and training content to support business teams 
• Providing explainable outputs so all AI usage remains transparent and compliant 

This isn’t about replacing engineers or traders. It’s about augmenting teams with intelligent tools that cut through complexity and free people to focus on higher-value work.

The Bottom Line 

The shift to 15-minute MTUs is more than a regulatory mandate. It is a once-in-a-decade structural change in how Europe’s power markets operate. It will challenge legacy systems and processes, but it will also reward businesses that embrace it as a strategic opportunity. 

With Digiterre and Ascendion AAVA, you gain a partner that understands both the technical foundations of trading system modernisation and the transformative power of AI. Together, we can turn the 15-minute challenge into a source of long-term advantage. 

Are you ready for 30 September? 
Speak with our team to assess your readiness, explore solutions, and position your business to lead in the new market landscape.