Power generation on the electricity system is increasingly “intermittent” – driven by renewable power that generates when natural resources are available. Traditional fossil fuelled generation is controllable, and historically power has been generated to meet customers demand. As the electricity system increasingly decarbonises, there will need to be a paradigm shift away from controllable power generation to one of flexible demand and facilitation by flexibility tools such as battery storage.
The sources of this flexibility can range from, modifying generation, for example with bulk energy storage, and consumption, for example with smart heating or EV chargers, to minimise demands on the electricity system. New ways to remunerate flexibility, and thereby incentivise energy system users to offer it, are currently in development, and the various markets for flexibility are expected to mature into the 2020s.
Our services in energy flexibility
- Flexible smarter electricity networks – At this training course our experts will clearly explain the industry-led developments, and using case studies will set out how local distribution network flexibility services can be accessed today and the scale of the opportunity in the future as the frameworks to move towards smarter and more flexible networks beds in.
- Ipswich Microgrid – We are establishing an innovative project with a range of local partners to test and develop innovative solutions to mitigate network issues encountered by generators and consumers on the Ransomes Industrial Estate. Subsequently these learnings will be deployed in other locations with similar physical characteristics.
- Ipswich Flexibility Study – This study, part funded by BEIS, operated in partnership with Suffolk County Council and Ipswich Borough Council, is exploring mechanisms to create value from changes in customer behaviour. We modelled local production and demand initially behind the meter to enable testing the feasibility of commercial innovations based on specific assets. We use generation and consumption data that mimics usage by different types of consumers and properties.
Recent insight
Latest news
- Britain lags behind in facilitating investment in system flexibility
- Vattenfall and Honda collaborate on the development of home charging solutions
- UKPN ranks second in the world for smartness of network
- SMMT figures show continued growth in popularity of electric vehicles
- Government launches a Net Zero Review
- Energy:2030 Issue 22
- 14.7MW community solar and battery farm wins finance deal
- Electricity North West launches Smart Street project
- ScottishPower and SP Energy Networks launch new climate roadmap
- Smarter grid solutions respond to the governments EV charging consultation
- Highview Power to build the UK’s first commercial cryogenic energy storage facility
- Energy White Paper delayed until Q1 2020