Northern Powergrid taps VPP programme for peak power reduction

British distribution network operator Northern Powergrid has announced a flexibility initiative, tapping a virtual power plant and smart energy management programme to incentivise residential power consumption reduction at times of peak demand on the power grid.

The DNO has added electric utility company Equiwatt to its portfolio of flexibility service providers, making use of their virtual power plant and smart ‘powerDOWN’ programme, which rewards households for using less energy at peak times, with Equiwatt acting as an energy aggregator.

Northern Powergrid is responsible for the distribution network covering 8 million customers.

The initiative allows households and businesses across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire to earn revenue by reducing their power usage at peak times, supporting the region’s transition to net zero.

During powerDOWN events, customers can earn points, which can then be redeemed for rewards such as eGift cards via an app gift store.

Customers will be rewarded by taking part in such events every day between 4.30pm and 7pm, with a potential to earn £35 ($44.17) worth of points during the trial period.

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Maurice Lynch, head of System Flexibility, Northern Powergrid, said in a release: “The start of a new year brings exciting opportunities for our customers to help shape and be part of our drive towards a smarter and more flexible net zero energy system.

“We’re proud to announce our flexibility service partnership with Equiwatt which will see customers being rewarded for reducing demand on the network during peak times. This will help us to manage the network in a smarter and more efficient way that maximises cost efficiency for our customers.”

Added Johnson Fernandes, founder and CEO at Equiwatt: “We’re delighted to partner with Northern Powergrid and help empower its 8 million customers to save energy when it matters most.

“Our powerDOWN scheme is accessed via a free and easy-to-use app and invites customers to register for peak-time notifications. Households can then reduce their energy usage during powerDOWN events and earn points (…) Put simply, our smart technology enables customers to tailor their energy usage and helps reduce their carbon footprint.”