Pure Planet unveils simplified flexibility proposition

Pure Planet has unveiled a product which aims to create a simplified flexibility proposition and unlock new revenue streams for the supplier.

The app-based energy retailer has partnered with Lightsource BP to use the latter’s energy management technology, Tribe, and virtual power plant platform to optimise flexible assets in the home from solar power and battery storage systems.

Pure Planet, which is 24 per cent-owned by BP, is offering customers a flat rate for the energy supplied and will take control of the asset optimisation, differing from tariffs such as Octopus Energy’s Agile which offers dynamic pricing.

A similar proposition was unveiled by Ovo Energy earlier this year – a ‘type of use’ tariff which offers electric vehicle customers a flat rate to charge their car using price signals from the market.

While Tribe allows customers to coordinate their flexible assets from an app, during the trial Pure Planet will take control of the process which will prevent customers from importing electricity during peak times and ensure that their batteries are fully charged beforehand.

Following the initial trial the ambition is to scale the offering from next year, targeting 1MW of flexible capacity deployed in customers’ homes over the next two years.

Speaking to Utility Week, Will Heinzelmann, the retailer’s head of new products and services, explained that his company was seeking to build on existing propositions and make them more accessible for the mass market by simplifying the process as much as possible.

Heinzelmann said the company was not aiming for “really tech savvy” consumers.

He said: “We want to view ourselves in this as being the helpful party that does all of the clever stuff around optimising the battery, making sure we are delivering the lowest costs of goods, also the lowest costs of electricity that we can to the end consumer, but actually wrapping that up in something that is a bit simpler for them to understand.”

Heinzelmann said the very first stage of the trial, due to commence within the next few weeks, is with some of Pure Planet’s employees.

He added: “We have really made an effort in choosing those employees, we have picked some people who would not necessarily consider this normally. It wouldn’t normally be their sort of thing but actually they are quite happy to test it and give it a go.

“That for us is the most valuable learning, because it’s going to be a perfect test of how the mass market is going to deal with this sort of thing.”

Additionally it is hoped the proposition will help unlock new revenue streams for Pure Planet.

Charlie Vey, Lightsource BP’s head of international business development, explained that by scaling up the proposition to 1MW of installed capacity Pure Planet will be able to trade in the balancing markets.

He said: “We are looking at using the capacity of the systems installed as part of a virtual power plant to trade in the balancing mechanism, the capacity market and bid into National Grid’s Firm Frequency Response market.

“All of these provide new revenue opportunities for Pure Planet and the ambition is to share the value of those revenues with the customer, likely in the form of an upfront discount in the cost of the kit.”

Ben Kott, chief executive of Lightsource Labs, said: “On our journey to net zero, as we integrate more renewables and roll out electric cars and heating onto the system, the need for energy flexibility and smart energy management is increasing.

“We are excited to partner with Pure Planet and their forward-thinking members to help accelerate the adoption of renewable technologies including solar PV and electric cars, and using our technology to unlock more value from distributed energy assets for all parties.”

Meanwhile Andrew Ralston, Pure Planet co-founder and chief executive, said: “Pure Planet has already saved its members more than one and a half million tonnes of CO2 since its launch.

“This new service and others we are pioneering will supercharge the speed at which we reach our next million by helping people manage their energy better by giving them all the information they need to reduce their emissions.”