What is the Demand Flexibility Service?

The Demand Flexibility Service (DFS) allows you to earn rewards for shifting electricity usage outside of peak demand hours. This allows the Electricity System Operator (ESO) to manage supply through periods when margins are tight.  

The DFS was introduced in winter 2022/23 and over 1.6m households and businesses participated, providing ~350MW of flexibility to the ESO. In the ESO we make sure that Great Britain has the essential energy it needs by ensuring supply meets demand every second of every day.  

How does it work? 

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DFS graphic

 

How to participate

Domestic Households

More information for households looking to get involved in DFS can be found on the electricity explained section of our website. 

Find out about DFS for consumers 

How to become a registered provider

Are you interested in becoming a registered provider for the Demand Flexibility Service? Here’s a quick guide to getting set up. 

1: Contact our Demand Flexibility Service team to arrange an introductory call

Let us know about your campaign and your audience and we can talk you through the process and answer any questions you may have. You can reach us at [email protected].

2: Register on the Single Markets Platform 

This is our platform to create and register units for DFS and to take part in  a DFS event. This is also where your contract with ESO is submitted. Take a look at our DFS unit registration provider manual for more details.

Register on the SMP

3: Complete the DFS IT process check  

Once you are ready, we'll agree a date for an IT process check to make sure you're prepared for an event. This check will cover the API, data transfers, data formatting, and more. 

4: Submit an online form to become a registered provider on our website 

Once you have completed all of your onboarding steps and submitted the form, your organisation will appear on our website as a DFS registered provider. This is so that consumers can find out which organisations are taking part in the service, and how to sign up.  

Request to become a DFS registered provider

5: Once all steps are completed, you’ll be ready to participate in a Demand Flexibility Service event

As part of the process, you'll need to submit a number of files to us, including your initial unit meter point schedule file and onboarding weekly indicative forecast. The participation guidance document will have full details for you to follow. 

Contractual and guidance documents (2023/24)

EBR Article 18 Consultation update

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The EBR Article 18 consultation for DFS closed on Monday 17 July. Thank you to everyone that reviewed the documents and provided feedback to ESO. We have received a large number of submissions and are working hard to turn these around over the coming weeks. Following that, documents will be submitted to OFGEM for approval. 

Webinars and industry engagement

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DFS winter review 22/23 – 30 August 2023

DFS Winter 2022/23 review which details the results from 20 Tests and 2 Live events.

Download the DFS winter review

 

Consumer evaluation webinar – 6 July 2023 

The ESO has worked with the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) to carry out an evaluation of DFS from over 23,500 consumer perspectives. This includes who participated, why they did so and how they took part. 

The work also explores the barriers to taking part in DFS and benefits of participating as well as findings of the social research carried out via diaries, opinion poll, surveys and interviews.

Download the slides Watch the webinar Download the report

 

Pre-consultation webinar -  9 June 2023

A recording and the slides from our pre-consultation webinar held on 9 June outlining the next steps for DFS winter 23/24 and sharing our the final design proposals.

Download the slides Watch the recording Download the Q&A

 

Deep dive workshop 3 - 27 April 2023

The third of our series of deep dive workshops, covering process and operational delivery.

Download the slides  Watch the recording

 

Deep dive workshop 2 - 25 April 2023

The second of our series of deep dive workshops, covering commercials.

Download the slides  Watch the recording

 

Deep dive workshop 1 - 25 April 2023

The first of our series of deep dive workshops, covering the role of the DFS. 

Download the slides  Watch the recording

 

Webinar - 16 March 2023

We ran a webinar on 16 March to provide an update on what's next for the Demand Flexibility Service, covering feedback received to date and potential future options for the DFS. 

Download the slides  Watch the recording Download the Q&A

Registered providers list
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ESO Demand Flex logo

Last updated: 28 November 2023 

We’ve compiled a list of all the Registered Providers taking part in the Demand Flexibility Service below. There are two tables (one for domestic households and micro-businesses and one for all other businesses). This will show you how you can contact these providers and take part in the service with them. It also shows if they are a member of the Flex Assure compliance scheme or aligned to the HOMEflex voluntary standards for flexibility service providers.  

Domestic Households

DFS Registered Participant  HomeFlex
Axle Energy Ltd ✅ 
British Gas  ✅ 
CarbonLaces Solutions Ltd  
Chameleon Technology (as Ivie)   
Easee UK Ltd (via Axle Energy Ltd)
EDF   
E.ON Next Energy Ltd  
Equiwatt  ✅ 
Foxglove Energy Supply Ltd T/A Outfox the Market (via SMS – Solo Energy Ltd)   
GivEnergy (via Axle Energy Ltd)
100 Green (via SMS – Solo Energy Ltd)
Good Energy (via SMS – Solo Energy Ltd) 
Hildebrand Technology Ltd   
Hugo Energy App (via SMS - Solo Energy Ltd) ✅ 
Loop (via SMS - Solo Energy Ltd)   
Octopus Energy    
Ohme (via Axle Energy Ltd)
OVO Energy 
Passiv UK (via SMS – Solo Energy Ltd)   
Perse Technology Ltd   
Power Rewards App (via Orange Power Ltd)  
Scottish Power (via Equiwatt)   
Shell Energy Retail (via SMS - Solo Energy Ltd)  
SMS (Solo Energy Ltd)  ✅ 
SolarEdge Technologies (via SMS – Solo Energy Ltd)  
Uswitch Ltd (via Hildebrand)  
Utilita Energy Ltd   

Industrial and Commercial 

DFS Registered Participant  FlexAssure
Axle Energy Ltd  
CarbonLaces Solutions Ltd  
Conrad Energy  
CUB (UK) Ltd  
Drax Energy Solutions Ltd   
Easee UK Ltd (via Axle Energy Ltd)  
EDF   
E.ON Next Energy Ltd  
Energy Delivered Limited  
Engie Power Ltd  
Fidelity Energy (via CUB UK Ltd)   
Flexitricity Ltd  ✅ 
Gridbeyond  
Gridimp   
Hildebrand Technology Ltd   
Infinis Ltd   
OakTree Power Ltd   
Octopus Energy   
P3P Energy Supply Ltd   
Perse Technology Ltd   
SMS (Solo Energy Ltd)   
SSE Digital Services Limited   
Zenobe Energy Ltd   

What is FlexAssure / HOMEflex code of conduct?

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Flex Assure Logo DFS
FlexAssure is a code of conduct and compliance scheme for flexibility service providers serving business customers. 
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HomeFlex Logo DFS
HOMEflex is a code of conduct for flexibility providers serving households and micro-businesses. There is no compliance scheme in place for HOMEflex yet.  

 

Flexibility providers have self-certified whether their organisation is aligned to either the FlexAssure and/or HOMEflex voluntary code of conducts. These codes of conduct ensure customers are protected and can trust their flexibility provider to adhere to a minimum set of standards. The ESO has no responsibility for auditing compliance with FlexAssure or HOMEflex.  

Demand Flexibility Service (DFS) recognition

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Net zero 2023 finalist
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The green energy awards
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Utility Week Awards 2023 winners
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The wilo energy words
Document archive

Webinars and industry engagement

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Aug 2023: DFS overview webinar – winter 23/24

Here you can find a recording and the slides from our DFS overview webinar for winter 23/24 held on 7 August.

Watch the webinar

Download the slides

World-first Demand Flexibility Service exceeds expectations

Our innovative Demand Flexibility Service has been a great success for participants, delivering a reduction of almost 800 megawatt hours (MWh) throughout events to date, with some companies earning up to £8,000 so far.

Read the news article

Nov 2022: DFS launch webinar

The launch of the new Demand Flexibility Service following Ofgem approval on the 4 November 2022.

Download the slides

Watch the recording

Oct 2022: Communications workshop

Slides from the Communications Workshop held on 20 October.

Download the slides

Sep 2022: Post-consultation launch webinar

A deeper dive into the proposed service design for a new Demand Flexibility service.

Download the slides

Watch the recording

Mid-point consultation: questions and answers

A summary of the questions and answers following our post consultation launch webinar.

Download the slides

Aug 2022: Pre-consultation webinar 

An overview of the proposed service design for a new Demand Flexibility service.

Download the slides

Watch the recording

Data Portal

We've launched our DFS Data Portal where you can subscribe to receive the latest updates and find information relating to both live and test events and datasets relating to the service.

DFS Data Portal

 

More from Demand Flexibility Service (DFS)

Register for our DFS newsletter

Sign up to our mailing list and get the latest news on the Demand Flexibility Service.

Get in touch with the team

If you have any questions or queries regarding DFS or would like to arrange a call with the team, please email us.

The ESO’s Demand Flexibility Service explained

All you need to know about our new Demand Flexibility Service (DFS) including why we have introduced DFS and how you can take part.