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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number	NIA2_NGESO043
Title	Demand Flexibility Service Evaluation
Status	Completed
Energy Categories	Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research(Energy system analysis) 10%; Other Power and Storage Technologies(Electricity transmission and distribution) 80%; Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research(Energy Economics) 5%; Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research(Environmental, social and economic impacts) 5%;
Research Types	Applied Research and Development 100%
Science and Technology Fields	SOCIAL SCIENCES (Sociology) 20%; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) 80%;
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation	Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Consumer attitudes and behaviour) 100%
Principal Investigator	Project Contact No email address given National Grid plc
Award Type	Network Innovation Allowance
Funding Source	Ofgem
Start Date	01 May 2023
End Date	30 April 2024
Duration	ENA months
Total Grant Value	£950,000
Industrial Sectors	Power
Region	London
Programme	Network Innovation Allowance
Investigators	Principal Investigator	Project Contact , National Grid plc (100.000%)
	Industrial Collaborator	Project Contact , National Grid plc (0.000%)
Web Site	https://smarter.energynetworks.org/projects/NIA2_NGESO043
Objectives	"This project brings together an experienced team of subject matter experts from Centre for Sustainable Energy and Element Energy, with significant experience in consumer analysis. They will work in close collaboration to qualitatively and quantitively analyse the various data from the Demand Flexibility Service Trials. A comprehensive breakdown of the work packages is listed below: Work package descriptionPhase 1WP0: Coordination WP0 Aims: To ensure the successful delivery of the project within the time and resource constraints and to establish processes for working with and through the approved DFS providers. 0.2 Agree participant recruitment process and communications 0.3 Agree smart meter data acquisition process and formats 0.4 Acquire an initial cut of SM data 0.5 Acquire full DFS trial and pre-trial data WP1: Social Research WP1 aims to deliver insights into customer experiences of the trial and understand households and business owners motivations to participate, the strategies used, changes over time that can be negative (such as response fatigue) and positive (such as increased flex capability), as well as perceive barriers and benefits. This work package has three strands of work. 1.1 Online opinion poll1.2 Qualitative research1.3 Online surveyWP2: Software development WP2 aims to deliver a set of tools to support both quantitative and qualitative analysis of the effects of the DFS scheme. Since the volume of data involved is quite large and the work will have some exploratory elements (as we do not yet know the specific queries required to support the analyses), we propose to spend some time developing a bespoke system for this purpose. 2.1 System setup2.2 Further development and user support WP3: Smart meter data analysis WP3 aims to deliver quantitative insights into customer responses to the Demand Flexibility Service trials through a series of analyses. The quantitative study will be done for domestic consumers (WP3.1) and micro/small smart meter business consumers (WP3.2). 3.1 The above analyses will be done for domestic consumers.3.2 The above analyses will be done for micro/small smart meter business consumers. WP4: Synthesis & Reporting & Archiving WP4 aims to synthesise the insights gained through the evaluation and publish outputs. This work package will involve close collaboration across the teams to ensure the best synthesis of the social research data with the smart meter data analysis. We will also review potential formats in which the data could be made publicly available. This might mean archiving the social research with UK data service, or creating flex demand profiles that can be used in energy systems modelling. Phase 2WP0: Coordination WP0 Aims: To ensure the successful delivery of the project within the time and resource constraints and to establish processes for working with and through the approved DFS providers. This will involve participant recruitment and data security, liaison with providers, subcontractors and expert advisors.WP1: Supplier Engagement Within WP1 we will engage with each DFS provider to discuss and agree on the content and format of data to be provided, including availability of data, data formats to ensure anonymity, data transfer between ERM and the ESO and follow ups with providers as required to facilitate data provision. As part of WP1 CSE will also contact social research participants that have consented to being contacted about further research using their smartmeter data to link social research findings with processed MPANS. WP2: ESO System Implementation For WP2 ERM will develop a database and analytical tools to ingest, store and efficiently process the large dataset of smart meter data. The data will be stored in an appropriate database system and code (most likely Python) will be developed to extract data, perform analysis (based on the analytical methods developed in WP3) and save / store outputs of the analysis. WP3: Smart Meter Data Analysis WP3 aims to develop an analysis methodology to draw insights from the DFS participants smart meter data, in order to address key research questions and to inform design of subsequent DFS schemes and other flexibility services, such as Crowdflex. An initial set of research questions that we will seek to investigate through the analysis are set out below: Event Analysis Flexibility Offered Impact of DFS on Participant consumption outside of DFS delivery window Predictability Effectiveness of DFS design and future recommendations The analysis methods will be dependent on the extent of data that DFS providers are willing to provide, as we seek to maximise the robust insights that can be drawn from the data available. The analysis will be performed using the software system developed in WP2 and we expect there will be some iteration and additions to the code as the analysis progresses. Outputs of the analysis of the smart meter participant dataset will be provided by the ESO, produced using common analytical methods (provided by ERM). We will make a comparison of these outputs with those from the main smart meter dataset in order to identify any systematic differences, e.g. that might imply some selection bias in the survey participant group. WP4: ESO Analysis (Technical Analysis) In WP4 ERM will support the ESO to perform the analysis on the survey participants data using the code provided, e.g., ensuring ESO analysts are comfortable running the code and performing any subsequent analysis on the outputs produced. This will take the form of an initial workshop to demonstrate the analysis to the ESO analysts (based on the anonymised data available to ERM) and availability to answer ad hoc questions as they carry out the work. WP5: Reporting WP5 will produce a range of project reports summarising the results of the analysis and key insights. Summary reports for each DFS provider which have shared data will be produced on the outputs of the analysis of their customers data. A common template for these summary reports will be agreed in advance, which will be populated with data from each DFS provider. Output datasets will be prepared for publication alongside the final report. These will include only aggregated smart meter data, fully anonymised and not attributable to any particular provider. In line with the ENAs ENIP document, the risk rating is scored Low. TRL Steps = 1 (2 TRL steps)Cost = 2 (£950k)Suppliers = 1 (2 suppliers)Data Assumptions = 2 (Assumptions known but will be defined within project)Total = 6 (Low) " "The project will last approximately twelve months with two project partners. The project will evaluate the DFS using a mixed-methods approach. A programme of social research will deliver insights on customer motivation and experiences, while analysis of smart meter data will provide insight into flexed demand profiles, linking these to household smart energy capabilities where possible. The social research programme aims to capture households flexibility strategies and motivations, relevant socio-demographics, smart energy capabilities and any longer-term changes that may have resulted. The social research will use a combination of diaries, interviews, DFS smart meter data, and a post-trial survey to capture this information. The social research will focus on households, but participating SMEs will be included where possible. In addition, a short opinion poll conducted at the start of the evaluation (Jan 2023) will allow us to capture of snapshot of energy behaviours across the UK population during what is already an exceptional period. The social research team will design the research tools and work with approved DFS suppliers to recruit participants. The team aims to document participating customer MPANs to link the social research data to DFS smart meter data. To carry out the analysis this research project will also design and develop a set of tools needed to support both quantitative and qualitative analysis of the effects of the DFS scheme. The smart meter qualitative analysis will deliver insights into the DFS scheme through the following analyses, which will be done for domestic consumers: event analysis, flexibility offered, impact outside of DFS delivery window, predictability, effectiveness of DFS design and future recommendations, informing future workstreams. " "The goal of this research is to understand more about how consumers participated in the Demand Flexibility Service over winter 2022/23. Key areas to explore are:   Awareness: The level of awareness and understanding consumers have about flex services, and where consumers first came across the offering.  Motivation: The key drivers behind signing-up (or not signing up) for flex services.  Onboarding & Engagement: The onboarding experience, consistency of engagement with flex services and key factors which caused drop-offs to occur.  Implementation (logistical): The level of ease at which consumers could respond to flex signals, and their knowledge around reducing demand.  Implementation (commercial): The impact incentives have on engagement, including the type of incentive used, and how and when it is delivered.   Implementation (comms): The impact of varying communication mechanisms on engagement with flex services, including the influence of automation in the process.  Implementation (barriers): The key factors behind non-participation or disengagement with the service.   Experience: The variation in consumer satisfaction with their participation, if participants would engage with flex services in the future, and how engagement could be increased further. Second-order consequences: The presence of positive or adverse knock-on effects that can be attributed to participation in flex services.   "
Abstract	"The ground breaking Demand Flexiblity Service (DFS) allowed over 1.6 million households and businesses the opportunity to participate in a national flexibility service and be rewarded for the first time. Given the speed that the sevice was set up and the implications for future flexibility services this project will explore how consumers participated in DFS and crucially the barriers to participation, through 2 phases of work. A social research element (diaries, opinion poll, survey and interviews).Using consenting consumer data, smart meter data will be analysed and linked to the social research. The findings of this work should inform future iterations of DFS, DSO flexibility services and flexibility service provider offers (suppliers and aggregators). "
Publications	(none)
Final Report	(none)
Added to Database	12/10/23