Energywise (also known as Vulnerable Customers and Energy Efficiency)

What is the project about?

Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) are forecasting increasing and more uncertain demands on their networks as the result of the electrification of heat and transport and the increased reliance on micro and distributed generation. Enabling and encouraging customers to change their pattern of demand and participate in DSR and other energy saving activities will help to mitigate this substantial challenge.

The project has undertaken a research study with hundreds of social tenants in Tower Hamlets (East London) and carried out two trials. Trial one has found how they can participate in energy saving opportunities, and trial two investigated both energy saving and demand side response. The project aimed to understand:

• The extent to which the residential customer group is able and willing to engage in energy saving campaigns and Time of Use (ToU) tariffs
• The benefits that tenants can realise from their change of behaviour in household energy management The challenges and successful approaches to engaging with these groups of customers to achieve these aims
• Whether their reduction in demand, and shifting demand away from network peak periods may benefit the electricity network by deferring or avoiding network
  reinforcement