AFRY expands BID3 as ‘GPS for net-zero’ wins ESG award

AFRY has expanded the reach of its BID3 power market modelling platform, which uses FICO Xpress Optimization software and now serves more than 30 organisations, according to the companies.

The Swedish engineering consultancy said it recorded a 25% increase in BID3's global user base in 2025. It linked that growth to changes in the platform's modelling approach and a rise in demand for long-term power system planning.

AFRY said governments, grid operators, utilities and investors use BID3 for planning work linked to net-zero goals and energy security. The company positions the tool as a way to compare policy and investment choices across multiple scenarios.

AFRY reported 2024 revenue of 27 billion Swedish Krona, which it said was about USD $2.5 billion. The firm said it has about 18,000 employees and works in more than 40 countries.

Modelling shift

AFRY said existing methods struggled to reflect the complexity of modern power systems. The company described a shift towards higher volumes of renewable generation and a wider range of flexibility options in electricity markets.

"Traditional modeling approaches are no longer adequate for the complexity of modern energy systems," said Zeid Munir, Principal - Modeling Solutions, AFRY. "BID3's powerful architecture has made it central to major national studies, such as the UK's 2038 to 2043 Carbon Budget. In 2025, we saw a 25% increase in BID3's global user base, driven by its enhanced modeling capabilities."

AFRY said BID3 simulates wholesale electricity markets and supports planning across multiple time horizons and geographies. It also said the platform supports unit commitment modelling down to one-minute resolution, stochastic optimisation for hydropower operations, and energy sector coupling for hydrogen, heat, and water systems.

The company said BID3 integrates datasets from weather, demand forecasts, plant characteristics, fuel prices, and market mechanisms. It said the FICO Xpress Optimization engine then identifies least-cost system outcomes while reflecting constraints related to reliability and policy.

"Power systems around the world are undergoing an unprecedented transformation," said Munir. "Decarbonization, electrification, affordability and energy-security are reshaping the energy markets. Nations are racing to meet net-zero targets, driving rapid deployment of renewable generation, mass electrification of transport and industry, coupled with the evolution of market structures. Long-term investment planning is becoming increasingly complex."

FICO software

AFRY said it selected FICO Xpress Optimization as the optimisation engine behind BID3 after evaluating other options. The company said the software supports linear and mixed-integer programming and can handle large-scale problems.

"To meet these challenges, we turned to FICO Xpress Optimization to help develop a scalable, high-fidelity simulation and decisioning platform that could bridge the gap between modeling and reality," said Munir. "We chose FICO's optimization solution for its industrial-grade linear and mixed-integer programming capabilities and scalability across complex, multi-dimensional problems. No other solution on the market provided the tools we need."

FICO, which sells analytics software across several industries, said the work highlights a wider role for optimisation tools beyond financial services. In this case, the company said, energy market modelling feeds into infrastructure decisions and policy choices.

European use

AFRY said BID3 work has fed into planning and market assessments across several European power systems. It cited analysis for the UK's Department of Energy Security and Net-Zero, Norway's Statnett annual market analysis, German grid development planning work for TransnetBW and Amprion, and Denmark's Energinet electricity supply security assessments.

The company also said the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity used BID3 for a Bidding Zone Review. It described that work as an assessment of bidding zone configurations across Europe.

"AFRY's range of use cases demonstrate BID3's ability to influence billion-dollar investment decisions and national energy policy using robust optimization powered by FICO technology," said Nikhil Behl President, Software, FICO. "That's the kind of impact that keeps me excited about what's possible when smart algorithms meet urgent global challenges."

Award win

AFRY has won the 2026 FICO Decision Award for ESG Champion. FICO said an independent judging panel assessed nominations based on measurable improvement, use of best practices, scale and breadth, and novel uses of technology.

"AFRY have essentially created the 'GPS for net-zero'-a platform that navigates millions of variables to find optimal paths to clean energy," said Déborah Oliveira Founder and Editor-in-Chief, IT Forum. "The mathematics are reshaping energy policy at continental scale."

AFRY said demand for advanced modelling has risen as grids integrate variable generation and new forms of flexibility. The company said BID3 will continue to feature in national studies and transmission system planning work across Europe and other markets.