Britain’s grid is set to give more households the option to earn money by adjusting their power demand from next winter as it seeks to develop the system’s flexibility.
(Bloomberg) — Britain’s grid is set to give more households the option to earn money by adjusting their power demand from next winter as it seeks to develop the system’s flexibility.
National Grid Plc is evaluating industry input, including suggestions for allowing electric cars to sell power to the grid, its system operator said Monday. Other proposals include a national campaign to protect energy security, similar to that for the National Health Service, and standardizing the way consumers are paid for taking part.
Many of the proposals will only be implemented in years to come, if at all, but it’s a sign of how the country’s grid is trying to create greater flexibility and efficiency in a system that costs consumers billions of pounds per year to run. More flexible demand could cut the need to pay power stations to generate more electricity, curbing carbon emissions and saving money.
This winter, millions of households have been able to earn money by signing up through their suppliers to reduce their electricity use at peak times. Live activations in late January showed an under-delivery of almost 18%, indicating that some households didn’t follow through in lowering their consumption.
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Other proposals include a “last resort” service, where the operator or government could call on people to reduce use at the most difficult times for the grid via apps or text messages, like in France and California.
Regulator Ofgem has also set out proposals to create a new flexibility marketplace, which will help improve liquidity and allow consumers to monetize assets like EVs, batteries and smart devices. Shifting the time of consumption and generation of power — often automatically in ways consumers won’t even notice — will help take advantage of variable renewable generation like wind and solar.
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