Project Local Energy Oxfordshire (LEO) has marked the first live flexibility trade with an external partner, paving the way for small businesses to deliver grid services that will help balance the network.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution’s ground-breaking innovation project, Local Energy Oxfordshire (LEO) is running trials of live flexibility trading, using a platform that has been designed and built by SSEN’s TRANSITION project which forms part of LEO. Previous LEO trials have tested flexibility trading with Project LEO partners but the opportunity to participate has now been widened to external participants.
ev.energy is a smart charging app used by more than 80,000 EV drivers. Its cloud-based Virtual Power Plant platform automatically optimises EV charging, saving consumers money and carbon while helping balance the grid. ev.energy seized the opportunity to participate in LEO’s innovative trials and in response to a signal from the TRANSITION trading platform they successfully bid for and are providing a ‘demand up’ service to help balance the network. Their flexibility is being delivered at key points during the day from 18 July 2022.
Trading flexibility could allow charge points operators like ev.energy to help their customers maximise the opportunities of charging their vehicles at the most economic times. It could also support the ability of distribution network operators, like SSEN, to deploy local EVs as a local battery network which can be drawn upon when needed, to help balance the grid and defer network reinforcement.
Melanie Bryce, Head of Markets and Network Development said:
“The LEO and TRANSITION projects are now entering a crucial phase, putting our theory into practice as we start to test what we have learnt and built, in real-world scenarios.
“Flexibility trading has the ability to deliver a win-win-win outcome: allowing businesses to take advantage of additional sources of value, giving electricity network operators the ability to balance the local grid cost effectively, and reducing the need for reinforcement”.
William Goldsmith, Head of Grid & Data Services at ev.energy said:
"We're delighted be working with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks and on such an innovative flexibility market trial. Through the LEO project we will be testing new grid services, including turning up electric vehicle demand to help soak up increasing levels of local renewable generation that can make the network challenging to operate. This pioneering UK trial will help us find solutions for the growing challenge the utilities we work with face around the world, including California and Australia. We look forward to sharing these learnings."
LEO’s trial period will run until September ‘22, offering external participants the possibility of earning up to £1,200/MWh by helping to support the network. The third trial period will run November ‘22 to February ‘23.
Participants can view the payment structure for flexibility services, here.
About this author
