Introduction to Flexibility
What is Flexibility?
- Flexibility or Flexible Demand refers to the ability to adjust or shift electricity usage in response to changes in supply or demand. It enables customers to take more control of when they use or store electricity, depending on local renewable generation and the electrical network conditions.
- By shifting energy demand to times when lots of renewable energy is being generated locally, we can reduce our national energy costs and carbon footprint.
- Flexible demand products allow businesses and domestic customers to take control of their electricity usage and benefit from reduced costs and reduced carbon footprint.
- Our flexibility products and services give customers the incentives and information they need to do this effectively.
Examples of flexible demand in action:
- For commercial businesses like supermarkets – they can effectively manage their fridge temperatures and defrost cycles without negative impact on their refrigerated goods.
- For domestic customers – they can shift their energy consumptions to times when there is surplus renewable energy on the network.
- Flexible Demand is central to reducing our carbon footprint. It also supports the rapid increases in demand for electricity as we move towards the electrification of heat and transport. It maximises the value out of renewable generation across the Irish electricity system, quickly, efficiently, and securely.
- At ESB Networks, we have a responsibility to create the conditions in which flexibility can grow and thrive.
Flexible Demand - Products and Services
- Flexible Demand relies on the choices that we all make in our homes, farms, and businesses, about how, when and how much electricity we use. ESB Networks is developing flexible demand products and services to provide customers and communities with the incentives and information they need to help deliver on Ireland's Climate Action Plan.
- Customers and stakeholders across the energy industry and beyond will continue to help us to shape how Ireland can achieve 15-20% flexible electricity demand by 2025 and 20-30% by 2030.
- Flexible Demand products will continue to provide new opportunities for all electricity customers to benefit from taking an active role in climate action.
Flexible Demand Products & Services
- Domestic flexible demand product - ‘Is This a Good Time?’ is open to all electricity customers, regardless of their electricity supplier. Learn more here.
- Business flexible demand product –‘Beat the Peak Business’ is an initiative open to eligible commercial customers. To learn more about how to get involved, click here.
- Check out our energy community toolkit here.
As more products are added and/or new competitions go live, we will update this page with information on how you can find out more and get involved.
National Flexibility Demand Targets
- Following publication of the Climate Action Plan 2023 in December 2022, ESB Networks published its Networks for Net Zero Strategy in January 2023 (click here to read), with a clear commitment to Ireland’s climate action policies and ambitions. With increasing urgency, we are working towards the Climate Action Plan target of 15-20% flexible demand by 2025, building on the pre-existing target of 20-30% by 2030.
- ESB Networks believes that Flexible Demand will be central to Ireland’s ability to reduce carbon emissions, by enabling low carbon demand growth by matching new or changing energy demand with renewable energy generation.
Pilot 1 Overview
ESB Networks underwent a tender process in 2021 and procured a flexibility service for the electricity distribution system in Ireland. Flexibility Services can be provided by suitably qualified distribution connected customers (generation, storage, or demand response individually or via aggregation) that can alter their consumption or generation pattern to support ESB Networks in its role as the Distribution System Operator (DSO) in delivering a safe, secure and efficient distribution system.
Pilot 1 took the form of a contracted remunerated service for altering consumption or generation in response to a pre-agreed schedule with ESB Networks or in response to communications/signals from ESB Networks National Distribution Control Centre (NDCC).
The Flexibility Services contracts were set for two years with a defined set of technical criteria including dedicated service windows (months of the year and days of the week) and delivery periods (hours of the day).
The pilot operated using a payment structure consisting of availability and utilisation depending on the flexibility product (further information is available in this document).
The purpose of this pilot was to gain clearer understanding and insight into how a flexibility market will be developed for implementation. The pilot is due to finish in Q4 2024, and this page will be updated with further information.
