In 2019, Moixa won a contract with distribution networks operator UK Power Networks in one of the country’s first contracts to provide energy capacity to a local electricity network from distributed energy storage assets in the area of Lewes, East Sussex.
Our collaboration aimed to provide grid services at a domestic level, with the common goal of driving innovation and supporting the transition to net zero. The partnership was a success, with a virtual power plant (VPP) of aggregated home batteries within the area of Lewes meeting the contract’s requirements and delivering 50kW. More information on the project’s outcomes can be found in our case study.
This project also led to us being shortlisted alongside our partner UK Power Networks for the Utility Week Collaborative Excellence Award 2021, an award that recognises world-class approaches to innovative collaboration between supply chain partners.
We are thrilled to have been shortlisted for this award, and we are committed to continuing our green journey with a new contract with UK Power Networks in the Worthing and Littlehampton area.
Supporting the energy transition with a new grid services contract
Following the positive results in Lewes, Moixa has started working alongside UK Power Networks to replicate this success in the Worthing and Littlehampton area.
The flexibility contract started in December 2021 and will last for six years, covering a three-month period every year (from December to February).
The process included recruiting eligible homeowners living in the specific grid services contract area to participate in the project and install Moixa optimised batteries in their homes. Our team engaged with the local community and encouraged them to support a local, clean energy-powered grid.
Creating a virtual power plant with Moixa’s GridShare software
Participants were equipped with Moixa optimised batteries, which have been grouped to create a virtual power plant through Moixa’s GridShare technology. Our GridShare software has the ability to connect distributed devices so they can form a cloud-based, decentralised network of power generation systems.
The goal of the VPP is to increase the amount of renewable energy on the grid, supporting the energy demand in the area and exporting power in response to pressure on the grid.
The contract’s results have been positive so far, with the first six dispatches being completed with an average overall accuracy of over 99%. The VPP of Moixa optimised batteries has successfully supported the area’s energy demand and exported power in response to grid constraints.
Homeowners who participated in this flexibility contract had the opportunity to play an active role in the local energy market, joining the community that is enabling a new era of sustainable energy in the UK.
Flexibility services are key for the energy system of the future
The move to a low carbon economy and greater decentralisation has changed our energy system. Renewables pave the way for net zero, but system flexibility is critical to counteract their intermittent nature and decarbonise our electricity supply: it enables the system to be kept in balance on a second-by-second basis.
This contract demonstrates how collaboration among different stakeholders can support residential participation in grid services and the move to zero-carbon electricity, providing customers with cleaner and cheaper energy whilst facilitating grid management.
It is clear that VPPs of distributed assets will play an increasingly important role in keeping the system balanced by providing grid services. Moixa and UK Power Networks are committed to driving innovation and generating value for the grid and consumers.