An Edinburgh-based demand side response (DSR) pioneer is calling on public services across the UK to explore their energy management potential after announcing it has delivered over £1m in revenue and cost savings to the public sector.
The firm, Flexitricity, has helped to realise these savings as a supplier on the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) DSR framework, which helps public services including the NHS, emergency services, military and local authorities achieve financial and sustainability targets, while assisting the National Grid with demand and supply support.
However, it believes this sum could be significantly higher if more public sector organisations were to unlock the revenue generating potential of everyday systems such as back-up generation, combined heat and power, onsite renewables and even air conditioning by helping to balance the gird through a range of automated services.
Dr Alastair Martin, founder and CSO at Flexitricity, said: “Over the past four years, our public sector partners have become experienced and confident DSR participants. These savings show how real the opportunities to create additional revenue streams for the public sector really are.
“But while DSR adoption has been growing in recent years, with many individual organisations reaping the benefits, the UK’s public sector can still do more with their assets to unlock savings and hidden revenue.
“There is now a tried and tested template showing the benefits of using DSR to manage supply and demand in a greener, more efficient and more decentralised way, and we look forward to seeing public sector adoption continue to gather momentum.”
It has been estimated that the UK’s public bodies use around 10 per cent of total UK electricity demand. DSR has been identified by CCS as being the most efficient way for the sector to do its part to keep the transmission and distribution system in balance.
Brian Gubb, Interim Director of Estates & Facilities at Royal United Hospital Bath, said: “We were the first NHS trust to sign up with Flexitricity for DSR, and have been working with them since 2012. In this time we have taken part in various DSR activities, maximising the income we can generate from our onsite assets, enabling us to re-invest in our patient environment.”
Flexitricity is the only provider to have been accepted to the CCS framework twice and it is now working with a range of partners, including the University of Edinburgh, and Royal United Hospital Bath, to turn their flexible energy into additional revenue.
Ends
In the UK, issued by Weber Shandwick on behalf of Flexitricity.
For more information please contact:
Rory Brown: 0131 556 6649/ 07870 805 291/ rbrown@webershandwick.com
Dyan Owen: 0141 333 0557/ 07775 404 601/ dowen@webershandwick.com
Notes to Editors
About Flexitricity
Flexitricity created and now operates the first, largest and most advanced demand-response portfolio in GB and has unsurpassed knowledge of the market and its requirements.
Headquartered in Edinburgh, Flexitricity partners with businesses throughout Great Britain to provide reserve electricity to National Grid. The word “Flexitricity” means “Flexible Electricity”. The company looks for flexibility in electricity consumption and generation, creating revenue for energy users and generators as well as reducing national CO2emissions and helping to secure energy supplies.
Their team is fully engaged at industry and regulatory level and has a track record that demonstrates innovation and delivery success.
Flexitricity is part of the Alpiq Group, a leading Swiss electricity and energy service provider with a strong presence across Europe.