World-first Demand Flexibility Service exceeds expectations with businesses saving thousands of pounds while reducing carbon emissions

Our innovative Demand Flexibility Service has been a great success for participants, with signups exceeding expectations delivering a reduction of almost 800 megawatt hours (MWh) throughout events to date, with some companies earning up to £8,000 so far.

The service was set up in record time and its success has shown us how it can be used as the future of balancing supply.

What is the Demand Flexibility Service?

The Demand Flexibility Service (DFS) allows the ESO to access additional flexibility when national demand is typically at its highest by incentivising consumers and businesses to voluntarily shift their electricity use away from a specific time

It’s not too late to take part

Data from the first two demand flexibility events confirmed great engagement with the service. During the first test, participants delivered a 50% increase in electricity reduction compared to expectation and across the second test, participants reducing their electricity use by 35% more than expected. On 23 January we initiated the first live demand flexibility event between 5-6pm which had huge support, we’ll be sharing data from the event once available.

As well as households engaging with demand flexibility events, we have also seen businesses benefit from taking part in the events to date. And it’s not too late to take part. Find out below how three businesses have benefitted from taking part in the Demand Flexibility Service and their experience.

• Engagement with Demand Flexibility Service exceeds expectation
• Benefiting businesses large and small
• Helping companies achieve net zero ambitions
• One business has generated £34,025 for their clients by taking part
• 200 tonnes reduction in CO2 projected by a single company
• Businesses reduced working day with no impact on productivity

CUB UK

CUB, a family run commercial energy and utility consultants’ business, utilised the Demand Flexibility Scheme by introducing the CUB Reduction Reward Scheme (CUB RR), allowing participants to take part in up to 12 events until the end of March.

The scheme has seen fantastic levels of engagement across six events, with an average of 86 businesses taking part in each event. Participants range from 14,000 kwh to 14,000,000 kwh per annum, showing business both large and small can benefit. Participants have earned £34,025 to date (as of 30 January 2023) with one business earning £1,726 in one event!

So far, the CUB RR has delivered 12MWH of energy reduction and saved over 945KG of carbon.

Louis Fairfax, Managing Director said "The ESO’s Demand Flexibility Service allows us to continue our commitment to helping our clients reduce costs, carbon emissions and move forward in taking an active role in the future of the UK’s Smart Grid." 

Powerlite Fitzgerald Ltd

Keighley lighting manufacturer Powerlite Fitzgerald Ltd is another company to benefit from taking part in Demand Flexibility Events via Perse, after being keen to find new ways to reduce their energy bills.

Perse notifies its customers in advance of an upcoming Demand Flexibility event and how much a customer will be paid. There is no penalty if you don’t end up taking part, just a payment if you do. And the whole process is reconciled remotely using a smart meter, so you don’t need to send in readings.

When Powerlite Fitzgerald Ltd take part, usually in the late afternoon or early evening, they end their manufacturing hours of operation early to reduce their power consumption. They found that staff were happy to have a shorter workday and simply did more of the manufacturing faster and earlier, so there was no loss in productivity.

Demand Flexibility events have enabled the company to earn £50 and saved £5 off their energy bill each time.

Powerlite Fitzgerald Ltd Director, Pollyanna Robinson explains: “The experience has shown what is easy to turn off and how we can be more energy efficient generally, helping to keep costs down across the next year. Demand Flexibility is also helping Powerlite Fitzgerald Ltd to deliver their net zero strategy.”

Perse works with a number of leading energy consultancies, such as Advantage Utilities, to help optimise management of their energy bills and carbon emissions. Customers can either sign up via their consultant or Perse’s Labrador website.

OakTree Power

Pinsent Masons, an international law firm specialised in the energy, financial services, infrastructure, real estate and technology, science and industry sectors, has taken part in Demand Flexibility events by utilising technology developed by leading climate-tech start-up OakTree Power.  

In April 2022, Pinsent Mason set an objective to reduce their building’s energy consumption, ultimately tackling its energy costs and CO2 emissions.

Implementing a high-level, Demand Side Response strategy that automatically regulates the consumption of energy throughout their 18 floored building enabled Pinsent Mason to complete over 800 successful modulation events, with zero impact on the site's performance or the comfort of 2,000 staff.

By utilising the Demand Side Response strategy and taking part in Demand Flexibility events, Pinsent Mason has seen their 205,000 sqft buildings BREEAM rating improved to "Very Good" in sustainability, and reduced their power consumption by 200kW since its introduction. Similarly, the company substantially reduced its energy bill, with 200 tonnes of CO2 projected to be saved.

Interested in joining the Demand Flexibility Service?

You can find more information about how your business can save money and reduce carbon emissions by partaking in the Demand Flexibility Service on our website. 

Read more about the Demand Flexibility Service