This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
Modern Energy Market to Turn Consumer to Producer


Britain’s largest demand response provider says a shake-up in the country’s energy market could see businesses in all sectors become the power stations of the future.


Flexitricity last year became the first company of its kind to win National Grid’s approval to provide 260MW of electricity to the GB Capacity Market, starting in 2018.


Now the firm, which is re-launching its brand as it prepares to increase its share of the Capacity Market during December’s energy auctions, says growing awareness of demand response to meet the country’s electricity needs means it can no longer be seen as a periphery service.


Dr Alastair Martin, Flexitricity’s founder and its chief strategy officer, said: “Our capacity comes from a connected grid of companies, who use our fully- automated system to either reduce electricity use or operate small, on-site generators, whenever the national electricity system is under stress.


“This resource – called ‘demand response’ – is increasingly recognised


Rising Energy Costs Pose Threat to Employment


Almost half of companies are preparing to cut jobs in response to an expected rise in energy prices over the coming year, YouGov research for Mitie can reveal.


The survey highlights the fragility of the UK’s economic recovery, as the predicted increase in energy prices threatens to undermine business sentiment and hit jobs.


53% of companies expect their energy bills to rise, with one in ten companies expecting an increase of more than 10% this year.


40% of companies warn that they are prepared to review their staffing levels in response to a rise in energy costs.


The impact threatens to be most severe in the Transport sector, where


twitter.com/TomorrowsEM


as integral to the future of the Grid, as it means we can provide extra capacity and help keep the lights on when demand for electricity is at its greatest.


“This service will become increasingly important, as the gap between supply and demand decreases over the coming years. National Grid has


62% of businesses would review their staffing levels, and Manufacturing, where 49% of businesses say they are likely to follow suit.


The research also reveals hardening business attitudes towards the environment. Just 15% of those surveyed see minimising their environmental impact as highly important. Meeting government energy targets is seen to be the least important energy issue businesses face across all sectors of the economy.


Government energy policy is also thrown into question. Just 3% of businesses believe that they see a financial benefit from energy policy, with Transportation and Retail feeling particularly hard hit. Almost half of businesses believe that the Government’s energy policies have increased the cost of running their company (41%), while affordable energy prices are the


suggested that demand response could save consumers approximately £790 million.”


He added: “This is a major opportunity for us as Britain’s largest and most experienced demand response provider, as well as for British companies or public- sector organisations.”


Based in Edinburgh, the company’s success in bidding in the first T-4 (T-minus four) capacity auction last year put it on a par with many of the country’s conventional power stations.


Among those companies currently making up Flexitricity’s network is Rainbow Growers, Kent. They run two Combined Heat and Power (CHP) generators on site, with a maximum output of 5.4MW. Rainbow doesn’t use all the capacity it has, which leaves 2.4MW available for Flexitricity’s system.


When required, the CHP can be started remotely to provide the extra capacity at short notice. There’s no impact on Rainbow Growers’ day-to-day business, yet Flexitricity generates substantial extra revenue for the company.


www.flexitricity.com


number one priority for businesses (44%). Only 5% of respondents say that meeting government targets to reduce greenhouse gasses is of high importance.


Jo Butlin, Director of Mitie Energy, said: “These results highlight the impact the cost of energy has on economic growth and levels of employment in the UK. Businesses have no influence over price, but they can implement efficiencies and ensure they are getting the best possible deal to negate the expected price increase.


"Companies also need to have a much better grip on monitoring and analysing their energy use. We helped one financial institution save £5m a year on their energy costs, so the opportunities for efficiencies are there.”


www.mitie.com WHAT'S NEW? | 09


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48