Flexibility Innovation Programme

The 2021 Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan and Energy Digitalisation Strategy identified key BEIS policy priorities to enable the transition to a smart, flexible and decarbonised energy system.

To support the transition, the Flexibility Innovation Programme seeks to enable large-scale widespread electricity system flexibility through smart, flexible, secure, and accessible technologies and markets. Up to £65 million will be made available. This overarching programme will fund innovation across a range of key smart energy applications.

The Flexibility Innovation Programme is part of the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio and forms a substantial part of a commitment set out in the 10 point plan for a green industrial revolution, to invest at least £100 million on energy storage and flexibility innovation challenges.

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Non-Domestic Smarter Tariff Comparisons Innovation Programme

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Inclusive Smart Solutions Programme

The Inclusive Smart Solutions Programme, launched 16 February 2023, aimsaimed to help achieve a step-change in access to, purchase of, and/or use of smart energy technologies, products and services amongst low income and vulnerable consumers. This competition has now closed.

Alternative Energy Markets Innovation Programme

Phase 1 of the Alternative Energy Markets Innovation Programme competition, launched 15 November 2022, aimsaimed to support the design and development of innovative tariffs, products or services (demand side flexibility propositions) under alternative energy market scenarios of a future energy system. This competition has now closed.

Energy system ‘digital spine’ feasibility study

The energy system ‘digital spine’ feasibility study competition. launched 4 October 2022, is a 6 month feasibility study aiming to support policy development by understanding the opportunities, risks and potential architectures of  ‘digital spine’ for the energy system. This opportunity is worth up to £204,000 (excluding VAT). This competition has now closed.

V2X competition (launched March 2022)

The V2X Innovation Programme (up to £12.6 million) aims to address barriers to enabling energy flexibility from bi-directional electric vehicle charging. Phase 2 seeks to support small-scale V2X bi-directional charging demonstrations. Phase 1 (competition now closed) seekssupported to support the development of V2X bi-directional charging prototype hardware, software or business models.

Automatic Asset Registration (AAR) competition (launched April 2022)

Phase 1 of the Automatic Asset Registration (AAR) competition aimsaimed to support the development of an automatic, automated secure data exchange process for registering small-scale energy assets and collecting and accessing small-scale energy asset data. This competition has now closed.

Interoperable Demand Side Response Programme competition (launched May 2022)

The Interoperable Demand Side Response (IDSR) programme aimsaimed to support the development and demonstration of energy smart appliances for the delivery of interoperable demand side response. The 3 streams of the competition are now closed.

Smart Meter System based Internet of Things Applications competition (launched May 2022)

The up to £1.8 million Smart Meter System based Internet of Things (IoT) Applications programme aimsaimed to support innovation to determine the feasibility of, and trial, Smart Meter System based IoT sensor devices. This competition is now closed

Smart Meter Energy Data Repository competition (launched May 2022)

The Smart Meter Energy Data Repository (SEDR) programme of up to £1 million aimsaimed to support innovation to determine the technical and commercial feasibility of a smart meter energy data repository. This competition is now closed.

Collaboration platform

The Flexibility Innovation Collaboration platform is a match-making platform which brings together organisations to connect and collaborate, in order to support the development of collaborative applications under the Flexibility Innovation Programme.

If you would like to be kept informed about the Programme, please email flexibilityinnovation@beis.gov.uk.

Read our privacy notice on how we collect and process your personal data.

HowInformation sessions

We held an event in April 2022 to applyprovide further information sessionon the programme and its innovation activities - see the attached slides and watch this recording:

Flexibility Innovation Programme update event

We also held a ‘how to apply’ information session in June 2022 to provide guidance on how to apply to Flexibility Innovation Programme grant funded and Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competitions via our application platform Smart Survey. The slides presented are available on this page, or watch a recording of the session:

Flexibility Innovation Programme event 14 June 2022.