Northern Powergrid partners with Octopus
Electricity distribution network firm Northern Powergrid has teamed up with energy and technology company Octopus Energy to provide household flexibility through electric vehicle (EV) charging and storage.
The deal will see its 8 million customers in the north-east and Yorkshire access flexibility services, enabling those with EVs to support the transition to net zero through ‘demand response’.
Demand response will allow participating customers to reduce power consumption or increase power supply to the network in exchange for savings, in turn freeing up electricity network capacity at times of peak demand.
Octopus Energy has pioneered demand response through its ‘Intelligent Octopus’ tariff, which provides cheap, clean electricity when it is best for the grid. It will avoid charging at peak times but still enable a fully charged EV whenever a customer needs it. By signing up, customers also get some of the best rates on energy over the cheap night rate.
The combined capacity of the car batteries on Intelligent Octopus has now surpassed the Minety Battery Storage Facility in Wiltshire, currently the largest battery on the grid. The cars on the tariff store more than 320MWh of energy – enough to power a city the size of Leicester for an hour.
Customers on ‘Intelligent Octopus’ and other Octopus EV tariffs supplied via the Southgate substation near York will now automatically take part in providing flexibility services to help Northern Powergrid manage demand at Southgate.
Liz Sidebotham, Commercial Manager for Flexibility at Northern Powergrid, said: “Flexibility is a win-win situation for everyone involved. Organisations with flexibility contracts can secure additional income while at the same time contributing to our region’s net zero transition.”
“This new contract means that we are now deploying both demand turn down as well as generation turn up to help manage our network. By adjusting their electric vehicle charging times, these households are actively facilitating the energy transition, playing a part alongside commercial organisations.”
Alex Schoch, Head of Flexibility at Octopus Energy, said: “Our work in their service area will allow us both to accelerate a cleaner, cheaper grid through intelligent demand response, and bring costs down for all consumers in the long run.”
Image courtesy of Northern Powergrid
