Empowering the next generation of electricity

As part of the next phase of our partnership, the National Grid Electricity Distribution team approached us to support the industry’s collective vision of Flexible Power.

The future is Flexible Power

The UK’s electricity system is undergoing a rapid period of change as distribution network customers alter their consumption behaviours to contribute to a lower carbon future.

Networks were originally designed for one-way power flow: from centralised power stations, through the transmission network and then into the local distribution networks to the point where it arrives at customers’ meters. As the introduction of electric vehicles and the change in the way we generate electricity from fossil fuels to renewables are both increasing demand and changing the power flows on our network, the networks need to find new ways of balancing the load on the networks to ensure customers have the power they need.

Flexibility Service Providers

The Flexible Power scheme is one of the proposed solutions to the challenges faced by the change in energy consumption across the UK. The scheme is about utilising energy from network areas during periods of downtime to power peak times in other areas.

Where there are known constraints on the electricity distribution network, Distribution Network Operators will look to harness electricity generators and consumers’ excess energy supplies to meet demand and generate flexibility in return for financial payment.

Four UK Electricity Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) can publish their flexibility requirements to the Flexible Power portal, these are; National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED), Northern Powergrid, Scottish and Southern Energy Networks (SSEN) and SP Energy Networks (SPEN).

The Market Gateway Project

National Grid Electricity Distribution’s Market Gateway web application has been developed for the purpose of facilitating Flexibility Service Providers in its electricity distribution flexibility programme.

Website Development

The focus on the project was the development of The Market Gateway website. The website was developed as a self-serve web application to empower customers to register for the electricity distribution flexibility programme.

During the discovery phase of the project, our team worked closely to the National Grid Electricity Distribution’s System Operator’s project team to identify the different stages of the sign-up and ongoing account management that needed to be accessible on the self-serve portal.

Three sign-up stages were identified for the user journey:

Procurement

The Procurement capability enables customers to register for the electricity distribution flexibility programme by completing commercial pre-qualification requirements and receiving a contract enabling participation in Trade Opportunities.

Using an API, we developed the self-serve portal to feed the sign-up information back to the National Grid Electricity Distribution’s internal systems. Users will have access to a simple, easy-to-navigate sign-up process.

Asset Registration

Once the consumer has signed up, the next stage of the self-serve portal is the Asset Registration. Using an API, customers can quickly connect to National Grid Electricity Distribution’s network through the Market Gateway portal. All they need to do is enter the details of their power equipment. This information is directly fed back to National Grid Electricity Distribution’s internal systems.

Trade Opportunities

DNOs can identify a flexibility requirement and provide details of the operational window that outlines the time of day and time of year the DNOs need flexibility services as well as a forecast of the total energy they anticipate needing within that window.

National Grid Electricity Distribution's Market Gateway portal for consumers integrates with the DNO's Flexible Power portal to connect consumers registered to the Market Gateway to the DNO's flexibility requirements. Check out the Flexible Power portal we developed here.

A powerful partnership

The Market Gateway Project with National Grid Electricity Distribution has enabled the UK's largest distribution company to future-proof their network and contribute to a lower carbon future. Check out the live project here.

Our longstanding partnership with National Grid Electricity Distribution provides their digital team with the tools and resources needed to boost efficiency, enhance customer experience and build their resiliency in the market.

Check out some of the other projects we've worked on with National Grid Electricity Distribution: