EDF to trial demand flexibility tariffs for low carbon tech

EDF is developing new tariffs designed to encourage customers to use low carbon technologies at non-peak times.

In partnership with smart energy system manufacturer Landis + Gyr and research consultancy LCP Delta, EDF has launched a trial to look at a series of new customer offerings.

The new tariffs are being designed to encourage the uptake of low carbon technologies as well as shift usage away from peak times.

The partnership will look at how the use of new low carbon technologies such as heat pumps, storage products and electric vehicles could be supported by bespoke tariffs, further reducing pressure on the grid, as well as household bills, in both the short-term and in the future as part of potential alternative energy market (AEM) scenarios of a future energy system.

The trial is part of a new government-backed project looking at innovative ways to reduce customer bills and their impact on the environment.

It has received funding from the government’s £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, which provides funding for low-carbon technologies and systems.

Stuart Fenner, director of WMS Commercial from EDF Customers, said: “Reducing both our and our customer’s environmental impact aligns with our purpose of Helping Britain achieve net zero, and with Ofgem’s price cap due to remain higher than pre-energy crisis levels we are doing all we can to reduce customer bills.

“With a recent flexibility study carried out by National Grid finding that active households responding to price signals could help reduce peak energy demand by 23%, this project will be key in helping both our customers and the environment. And, by combining our energy market, customer supply and research and development expertise we are well placed, alongside our partners, to drive change.”

Andrew Turton, head of consultancy at LCP Delta, added: “The energy transition brings a significant change to the interface between consumers and the energy system, where customers dynamically interact through flexibly managing their demand as well as generating and storing energy.

“Through LCP Delta’s research and consultancy expertise, we have explored many innovative ‘customer side of the meter’ solutions and associated business models. A common theme across all of these is the use of innovative tariff propositions which provides the golden thread between how customers operate assets and the overall functioning of our future energy system.”