Demand response specialists Flexitricity has agreed a contract to provide ‘Demand Turn-Up’ services to National Grid that will see users paid to increase their demand when there is excess energy on the system.

Flexitricity said it had been providing “headroom” to National Grid – extra energy from industrial users when there is not enough coming from traditional power stations – since 2008. It said it woudl now be providing ‘Footroom’.

Flexitricity’s chief strategy officer, Alastair Martin, said “Currently, when the wind is at its strongest, the Grid turns large power stations down or off.  But it can’t turn down all of them, so sometimes it has to turn off some of the wind farms.  This wastes a free resource.

“With Footroom, businesses can boost productivity for minimal extra cost and are incentivised to do so. In turn, the Grid can increase the amount of electricity distributed to homes from clean, renewable energy sources.”

The service works by sending a signal to connected businesses, notifying them of an approaching increase in wind and the opportunity to increase demand.  Those who do respond receive a payment in addition to the extra electricity.

More on demand response from National Grid and Dong Energy
National Grid’s estimate of savings to consumers

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