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New Energy World
New Energy World embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low carbon technologies.
Building a flexible energy market is key to the UK’s energy transition
4/12/2024
8 min read
Feature
As the UK advances towards its net zero goals, the onus is on electricity networks to enable the transition. Building more physical infrastructure is of course a big part of the solution, but flexibility also has a significant role to play, writes Alex Howard, Head of Flexibility Markets at UK Power Networks DSO.
Flexibility is a relatively new concept, but in its simplest terms, it means moving energy demand outside of peak times, for example between 4–8pm on a winter’s day, to quieter times like late at night or early morning.
Flexibility within the energy market has emerged as a critical enabler of the transition. Within its recent advice to UK government, the National Energy System Operator (NESO) set out the need for a five-times growth in flexible demand by 2030, underpinning the government’s aim that by 2030, 95% of power should come from low-carbon, but largely inflexible, generation. Not only does this flexibility help support the system, but it is also supporting cheaper and more engaging propositions for homes and businesses.
Incentivising customers to change their behaviour spreads energy use throughout the day, allowing us to run equipment more efficiently and to connect more renewables. It engages customers in the net zero transition, and also provides an additional source of income to everyone from electric vehicle (EV) drivers to owners of large-scale generation or battery storage.