Pod Point and British Gas are collaborating in a six-month EV charging trial to boost energy flexibility and reduce costs and carbon emissions.
The EV charging trial will leverage the Demand Side Response (DSR) platform of Centrica, a parent company of British Gas, to encourage consumers to use electricity out of peak times to utilise more sustainable energy sources and enhance UK charging infrastructure.
A cohort of the trial’s participants will also use their EVs to help balance the grid. The initiative’s findings will help inform the industry and advance flexible EV charging practices.
Speaking on the trial, Pilgrim Beart, VP of the Grid Business Unit at Pod Point, said: “The partnership with Centrica aligns with Pod Point’s goal to continue driving innovation in EV charging.
“This trial forms part of our commitment to energy flexibility, and we believe it will showcase the immense potential of EV charging as a significant source of flexibility in the market.
“We also believe flexibility will play a pivotal role in supporting the widespread adoption of EVs and renewables in the longer term.”
Optimising UK EV charging
The trial commenced at the end of February 2024 and has enlisted over 2,000 joint British Gas and Pod Point customers.
Spanning 26 weeks, the pilot focuses on providing flexible services to customers. Participants will utilise Centrica’s DSR platform, which incentivises customers to shift electricity usage away from peak times, thereby accessing more cost-effective and sustainable electricity.
Participating customers stand to receive £30 to £50 in the form of credit on their British Gas bill if they engage in every event throughout the trial.
Centrica, operating one of the UK’s largest Virtual Power Plants (VPP), aggregates energy flexibility from various sources to enhance the management of electricity demand and supply across the grid.
Integrating joint British Gas and Pod Point customers into Centrica DSR’s VPP expands Centrica’s flexibility capabilities, aiding in balancing the UK’s energy system.
Grid balancing with EVs
A select group of participants will employ their electric vehicles to aid in balancing the grid.
This initiative stems from a successful trial led by the Power Responsive Programme at the Electricity System Operator (ESO), conducted between September 2023 and January 2024.
It showcased households’ willingness to optimise their EV charging in response to instructions from the ESO.
Following the Power Responsive trial’s success, the ESO has opened up the balancing mechanism to up to 300MW of aggregated assets, including EVs and other technologies, on an enduring basis.
EV drivers can defer charging during peak energy usage periods while still adhering to their charging schedules.
Stavros Sachinis, Demand Side Response Director from Centrica, added: “EV uptake is a key part of the UK’s drive to net zero. Our partnership with Pod Point supports this and represents a strategic step towards a more sustainable and flexible energy future.
“By optimising EV charging, we’re aiming to provide our customers with greater control over their energy usage and costs while also accelerating the journey towards a greener future.
“This is in addition to our recently launched market-leading SmartCharge service that charges EVs when energy is at its cheapest during that charging session, offering customers the chance to access a cheaper charging rate while also helping to manage demand on the grid.”
Demonstrating EV charging flexibility
The initiative aims to illustrate EV charging’s potential as a valuable source of flexibility in the balancing mechanism, highlighting the significant contribution EVs can make to the ESO and the collective customers involved.
By 2030, the ESO estimates up to 6GW of DSR from smart charging in the transport sector alone.
The trial conducted by Pod Point and Centrica will play a pivotal role in enhancing the market’s understanding of these assets’ interaction with the energy system, the flexibility they offer, and the value they provide to consumers.
