Flex Community™ – How flexible we can be around the times we use electricity?
BWCE are the UK demonstration partner in an EU Horizon 2020 programme, along with, 15 European partners from 8 counties,. We have been researching how flexible households can be around the times they use electricity.
By monitoring the households daily electricity consumption and BWCE’s local renewable generation , we can support the householder to match their electricity demand to when there is more renewable generation on the local grid network.
We have successfully recruited several clusters of households in Bath, Bishop Sutton and Pilton to the ReDREAM project. Full results from this exciting trial will be available when the project completes in March 2024.
Why are we doing this?
Clean renewable energy is the way of the future, 40% of the UK’s electricity came from renewables in 2020, which is expected to keep increasing to meet Net Zero carbon targets.
Matching supply to demand
There’s a challenge! Renewable sources can’t be turned up and down as needed, so we currently rely on fossil fuels to make up any shortfall at peak times.
Reducing the energy rush hour
Demand peaks at around 6pm as people get home from work, which doesn’t always match when renewables are at their strongest.
Matching household demand
Matching electricity use to times when renewables are generating, smooths out peaks in demand. Avoiding the cost and environmental impacts of grid upgrades.
Our Flex Community™ research projects
Community Solar Trial
Householders in Bishop Sutton and surrounding villages are actively engaged in shifting their electricity use to when our nearby Stowey Ground solar array is generating electricity and supplying it to the local grid.
The householders in this trial can see the financial and carbon savings they would have made as if they were able to purchase this electricity for real.
Solar Electricity Trading Trial
Clusters of households in Bath and Pilton, Somerset, are participating in a trial to simulate the sale of excess domestic solar electricity from households with solar panels to their neighbours without solar panels.
The householders in this trial can see the financial gain and the carbon savings they would have made, as if this trade between neighbours was possible.
Energy Technology Flexibility Trial
A number of householders with an Electric Vehicle charging point, heat pump or a primary electric immersion heater are offering these technologies to be remotely switched on or off in response to when renewable electricity is available on the local grid.
Date TBC
Solar Streets
This pilot operated in two streets in the Bear Flat area of Bath, designed to test the degree to which a collective community approach could be taken to shifting electricity demand away from peak to off peak times. It integrated the use of domestic solar PV, battery storage and a simulated Time of Use electricity tariff (ToUT).
Date TBC
Hot Water Controller Trial
Working in collaboration with Stemy Energy and researchers from Comilla University in Madrid to reduce carbon emissions. They have developed the Flex Community smart app which manages home electricity consumption by learning energy requirements, predicting weather patterns and remotely controlling (within pre-set comfort levels) when the immersion heater heats hot water to coincide with when renewable electricity is generating.
Date TBC
Project 3
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate.
Date TBC
Project 4
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate.
Date TBC
Project 5
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate.
Date TBC
Project 6
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate.
Find out about the BWCE Fund
We have more information about Energy Demand and the changes needed in our use of energy.
£250,000 Donated
£250,000 donated to environmental and fuel poverty projects.
55 Organisations
55 local community organisations supported to run 82 projects
£615,000 Revenue
£615,000 of revenue per year retained in the West of England area.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement N°957837
To find out more about Flex Community email: [email protected]
