Plug-in for profit with Ohme: EV drivers cash in

Ohme, the electric vehicle (EV) home charging company, has been leading the way in helping EV drivers profit from their charging habits through the CrowdFlex energy trial. This innovative project, supported by Ofgem and spearheaded by the Electricity System Operator for Great Britain (ESO), aims to incentivise EV drivers to plug in more frequently.

The CrowdFlex trial took place over a three-month period from May to July, during which Ohme encouraged their customers to participate. The premise was simple – EV owners were asked to plug in their vehicles whenever they were parked at home. By doing so, they were able to earn rewards without any disruption to their pre-set charging schedules.

The outcome of the trial was impressive, with an 80% increase in customers plugging in their EVs during the day and a 50% increase overnight. This surge in plug-in rates resulted in more EVs being available to provide essential grid services, such as shifting electricity consumption away from peak demand periods. The valuable data collected during the trial will enhance our understanding of the potential for EV drivers to play a crucial role in balancing the electricity grid in the future.

David Watson, CEO of Ohme, expressed his satisfaction with the results of the summer trial, stating, “Ohme’s summer trial with CrowdFlex yielded encouraging results, and we were delighted with the enthusiastic response from our customers. Grid flexibility services have the potential to save consumers £10 billion per year in energy costs by 2050, and it was rewarding to incentivise our customers to contribute to this flexibility simply by plugging in. All they needed to do was park, plug in, and let Ohme handle the rest.”

Sanna Atherton, CrowdFlex Project Lead at the ESO, highlighted the significance of domestic flexibility in managing the grid effectively, saying, “It’s exciting to witness the initial indications of the role domestic flexibility can play in grid management. CrowdFlex is pioneering a deeper understanding of consumer flexibility and forecasting, positioning domestic flexibility as a reliable resource for the control room. This not only helps consumers reduce their energy costs but also accelerates the decarbonisation of the energy system.”

Building on the success of the summer trial, Ohme is gearing up for a winter trial scheduled to run from September to April. This upcoming trial will expand the pool of rewarded drivers who alter their behaviour by plugging in their EVs whenever they are at home.

CrowdFlex’s funding stems from Ofgem’s Strategic Innovation Fund, managed in collaboration with Innovate UK. The project is a collaborative effort involving a consortium of partners, including OVO, Ohme, the Centre for Net Zero, ERM, AWS, National Grid Electricity Distribution, and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks.

For more information on this transformative project, visit the official website.