Kaluza and Flexitricity have teamed up to offer a new combined grid flexibility service in the Balancing Mechanism.
The Ovo-owned energy platform and the aggregator will offer demand response by optimising electric vehicle (EV) and domestic battery storage, including vehicle-to-grid (V2G) for the first time.
Kaluza’s technology platform covers EV smart chargers, V2G chargers and domestic storage batteries in a single flexibility service. It is able to manage the half-hourly settlements through its sister retail arm.
Flexitricity was the first UK aggregator to become a Virtual Lead Party (VLP) in the Balancing Mechanism.
Marzia Zafar, director of sustainability and policy at Kaluza, said: “Today, industrial batteries provide the majority of our system’s flexibility while the storage potential of millions of smart devices in homes goes untouched. This partnership is an important milestone for the industry in enabling end customers to play a role in a greener, cheaper and more resilient energy system, and be rewarded for it. Kaluza has proven the value of its intelligent software across a number of local networks and markets, and we look forward to pioneering a new frontier in domestic flexibility at a national level with domain experts, Flexitricity.”
Andy Lowe, chief commercial officer at Flexitricity, said: “Electrification of transport presents both a huge opportunity for suppliers and customers and a challenge for networks. The partnership with Kaluza allows us to take a leap forward in demonstrating what flexible EV charging can deliver to help balance the electricity system.
“This partnership has the potential to revolutionise the way the EV market operates and most importantly it will make a significant impact on our 2050 net carbon zero targets.
“Flexitricity made history last year when we were first to utilise the Balancing Mechanism Wider Access arrangement to trade one of our customers’ battery assets. Now we’re looking to do the same with a network of EVs.”