10.3390/en14154475 How to Procure Flexibility Services within the Electricity Distribution System: Lessons from an International Review of Innovation Projects http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3371-3862 Anaya Karim L. Dr. Energy Policy Research Group, Cambridge Judge Business School, Cambridge CB2 1AG, UK k.anaya@jbs.cam.ac.uk Pollitt Michael G. Dr. Energy Policy Research Group, Cambridge Judge Business School, Cambridge CB2 1AG, UK m.pollitt@jbs.cam.ac.uk 24 07 2021 14 15 16 07 2021 e4475 The aim of this paper is to analyse and evaluate the deployment of smart platforms (operated by distribution system operators—DSOs—or by independent parties) in key jurisdictions that facilitate the trading of flexibility services—primarily by DSOs. We look at key innovation projects/initiatives from seven jurisdictions, including Australia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, The Netherlands and Norway. We have deliberately selected 13 use cases that operate under different regulatory frameworks and market rules, and have been recently implemented (from 2017 onwards). With the selection of key use cases this study seeks to discuss the different smart architecture solutions and main capabilities across different demonstrators and their relationship to business as usual. It also analyses flexibility market designs, identifies main characteristics, and compares different price formation schemes and procurement methods. The value of flexibility for DSOs is also discussed. © 1996-2021 MDPI (Basel, Switzerland) 2021 This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited distribution system operators flexibility services regulation procurement distribution energy resources innovation projects lessons international review Energies Energies 1996-1073 MDPI