Over the years, I’ve often been asked: “What is flexibility, and why is it important?”
In the United Kingdom, local flexibility services are a way for electricity users to get paid for changing how and when they use power. These changes happen either in real time or in response to a request from local electricity network operators known as Distribution System Operators (DSOs). Put simply, flexibility services help us get the most out of the electricity network we already have, while we continue to grow and modernise it.
The work being done around flexibility services in the UK aligns closely with the government “Clean Power 2030 action plan” and more broadly UN Sustainable Development Goal 7, which calls for universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy by 2030.
As we work to reduce carbon emissions and connect more renewable energy like solar and wind it's essential to make full use of existing infrastructure. This helps ensure the energy transition remains affordable and fairly funded. Flexibility services allow network operators to make better use of available capacity while they plan and carry out physical upgrades, which can take years. In the meantime, businesses and communities that provide these services are paid for their support, making it easier and more attractive for renewable energy projects to connect to the grid.
The Open Networks Programme – Building a Smarter Energy Future
To support this transition, the Open Networks programme was launched in 2017 by Energy Networks Association (ENA) in the UK. It was created to help deliver the UK Government’s vision of a smart electricity grid. The programme has made great strides in turning new ideas into real-world solutions. It has helped shape how local electricity systems operate, laying the foundations for what are now world-leading local flexibility markets. Through the programme, these markets grew from early pilot projects (“Proof of Concept”) to fully established practices (“Business as Usual”). The programme formally concluded in 2025. Fortunately, I have been associated with the programme since its launch and have witnessed the substantial growth of the market. It is remarkable how flexibility has delivered impact by making the system more efficient and reducing the need for expensive, short-term power generation, cost savings are passed on to consumers—while also promoting cleaner technologies.
Real Impact – For Consumers and the Planet
Electricity networks in Great Britain secured a record high of 9 gigawatts (GW) of flexibility in 2024/25, and a total of 22 gigawatt-hours of flexibility was harnessed across the network – enough to power almost 7,000 average UK households for a full year.
Regulatory reviews show that flexibility is already delivering value. In just two years, it helped reduce consumer energy costs by around £410 million. By 2028, total savings are expected to exceed £1.12 billion. Better access for renewable energy sources is estimated to reduce electricity costs by an additional £430 million by 2028
These savings come from delaying or avoiding costly upgrades to the network, and from lowering electricity prices by giving clean energy better access to the system.
Sharing Knowledge for Global Benefit
The UK’s leadership in flexibility has sparked global interest. The programme won the 11th International Smart Grid Action Network (ISGAN) award for excellence in ‘solutions for enhanced grid operations’. ISGAN was established to accelerate development and deployment of smarter, cleaner electricity grids around the world, operating under the International Energy Agency (IEA) framework with 25 participating countries and the European Commission.
Other countries are now exploring similar models, and we are proud to be supporting them with our experience. To make our work more widely accessible, we’ve captured key insights from the Open Networks programme in a new open access reference: “Distribution System Operation: Flexibility Services” (ISBN: 978-3-031-92904-5), published by Springer Nature.
Because it's open access, anyone with an internet connection can read and use this resource, free of charge. This helps bridge the global knowledge gap and supports international collaboration as we all move towards cleaner, more affordable energy systems. The book offers both technical and practical guidance from the development of local flexibility markets in the UK. It focuses on:
- How these markets were created
- How they’ve been standardised and simplified
- How transparency and fairness were built in from the start
Power utilities worldwide that are looking to establish similar flexibility markets can benefit from our efforts, ensuring that the clean energy transition is inclusive, transparent, and affordable for all. Whether you’re a researcher, policymaker, energy professional, or simply curious about the future of energy, this book provides a clear and comprehensive overview of flexibility and its role in transforming power systems around the world.
Flexibility isn’t just a technical solution, it’s a key enabler of an affordable, low-carbon energy future. We’re proud of the progress so far and committed to sharing our journey with others.
Dr Avinash Aithal is Strategic Programme Director, Connections at Energy Networks Association, London, UK. He is the co-author of the 2025 Springer open access book Distribution System Operation: Flexibility Services.