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

 

DFS overview and what's next webinar - March 2024

View the content from our webinar held on 22 March to learn about the performance and use of DFS during winter 23/24 so far and the future of DFS.

If you have any questions, please contact us at: [email protected].

Watch the webinar Download the slides Download the Q&A
 

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

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.