
Crowdflex part one: Building confidence in consumer-led flexibility
From Bright Spark by Innovate UK
August 28, 2025 · 42 min · Season 1 · Episode 19
About this episode
The episode discusses the importance of consumer-led energy flexibility and the Crowdflex project with insights from industry experts.
Join Jim and Laura for a two-part series diving into the future of consumer-led energy flexibility, through the lens of the SIF-funded Crowdflex project. The project explores how households can play an active role in balancing the electricity grid—whether by shifting when they use power or by making their electric vehicles available for smart, automated control. In part one, SIF Policy Lead Jim Wrigley sits down with Cathy Fraser, Head of Market Requirements at the National Energy System Operator (NESO). Together, they unpack why domestic flexibility matters, and how projects like Crowdflex are helping to build confidence in it as a reliable way to keep the grid in balance. For more details, check out NESO’s press release on the Winter trial results, and explore the full set of reports on the Crowdflex webpage . In part two, Jim will be joined by project partners OVO and Ohme to discuss their roles within Crowdflex and to provide further insights into the customer perspective. For more on the Strategic Innovation Fund: www.ofgem.gov.uk/sif See the SIF programme page on Innovate UK's Business Connect website Sign up to the…
People in this episode
Host: Jim Wrigley
Guest: Cathy Fraser
Topics covered
- consumer-led energy flexibility
- electricity grid
- domestic flexibility
- Crowdflex project
- energy management
- smart control
Keywords
- energy flexibility
- electric vehicles
- grid balance
- SIF
- consumer participation
- energy management
- Crowdflex
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: National Energy System Operator, OVO, Ohme, Innovate UK, Ofgem, SIF, Crowdflex
More episodes of Bright Spark
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- Power Under Pressure: Predicting Climate Risk in Energy · March 26, 2026 · 34 min
- Celebrating successes and setting sights on 2026 · January 5, 2026 · 39 min
- Turning Innovation into Impact: The SIF Approach · December 11, 2025 · 26 min
- Keeping the lights on - supporting a resilient energy system · October 30, 2025 · 31 min
- Crowdflex part two: Building customer trust in consumer-led flexibility · October 6, 2025 · 45 min
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