The UK’s energy regulator is looking into how to get households to use less when demand peaks or there’s little wind power, as part of efforts to decarbonize the grid.
Ofgem is asking for views on how to engage consumers in adjusting their energy use as consumption rises due to the expansion of electric vehicles and heat pumps. Such devices could be cheaper to run at certain times of day, and mapping consumer behavior onto those patterns could help accelerate the energy transition.
The steps to better balance supply and demand comes as the importance of electrification and grid development rises on the political agenda. The government was handed recommendations earlier this month on how to speed up the build-out of transmission lines, while Ofgem is exploring more flexible ways of running the power market.
Automation may be key to creating a more flexible grid. Consumers could configure smart devices like EV charge points and have third parties adjust consumption to maximize their efficiency — without users realizing.
