A DFS service requirement has been posted for tomorrow, Monday, January 23, 2023 between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Unlike the demo tests, this means that anyone enrolled in the program could save money if they reduced their energy consumption during this time.
If a person’s energy supplier offers the service and they have a smart meter, they should be able to subscribe to the service with it.
National Grid’s ESO website states: “If you have registered to participate in the DFS program, your electricity supplier will contact you before a demonstration test or live event and ask if you would like to participate in the event of the next day.”
Energy regulator Ofgem approved the scheme from November 3, 2022 to March 31, 2023 on November 4 last year.
The service allows businesses and members of the public to be paid to reduce or shift their electricity consumption to off-peak hours, following a signal from the ESO.
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For a consumer this could mean that a typical household could save around £100 over the five month duration of the service.
Fintan Slye, ESO’s Executive Director, said at the time: “We are delighted that Ofgem has approved the use of our demand flexibility service this winter. This will help mitigate the potential risks that the ESO has outlined in its Winter Outlook and allow consumers to see a financial return for reducing their peak hour electricity usage.
“As responsible operator of the electrical system, we have developed this innovative demand-side flexibility service to complement the robust set of tools we already use to balance the electrical system on a daily basis.”
National Grid has published a list of suppliers that participate in the ESO demand flexibility service on its website.
The following vendors are participating for domestic customers.
- British gas
- Carbon Laces
- EDF
- Next
- Equiwatt
- ev.energy
- Hugo Energy app (via SMS)
- Labrador (via Persia Technology Ltd)
- Loop.homes (by SMS)
- myenergi (via Orange Power)
- octopus energy
- OVO Energy
- Power Rewards app (via Orange Power)
- Shell Energy Retail (by SMS)
- SMS
- VpowerU
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Various test sessions have taken place since the start of the program.
On January 19, for example, Octopus Energy organized a “Savings Session” between 09:00 and 10:00.
In December, before another session, the provider said it paid more than £1million to energy-conscious customers for just four hours of flexibility service.
Over 250,000 Octopus Energy customers have taken part in each of the four test sessions, with the top 5% savers earning nearly £20 across all test sessions run so far.
Alex Schoch, Head of Flexibility at Octopus Energy Group, commented: “This is a significant milestone – in just four hours we were able to pay out £1m to our customers.
“Normally this money would have gone to businesses or dirty gas power plants to balance energy demand, but instead it is helping people reduce their energy bills this winter.
“We are proud to have pioneered this innovative program, which is paving the way to a smarter, greener and cheaper grid for everyone.
“And we’re glad other energy providers are now getting involved, enabling even more people to get a great deal and lower bills for everyone.”