Orion is considering valuable lessons and concluding its Lincoln Flexibility trial earlier than previously signalled.
The trial, which is a partnership with energy retailer Ecotricity, has helped build our understanding of flexibility services as a non-network solution and how management of consumer energy resources can support cost-effective decarbonisation of electricity networks.
Lincoln was chosen as it is seeing large scale residential growth, which is raising the demand for electricity in the area. Traditionally that growth in demand would require more electricity network to be built, however by utilising batteries already in the community along with new installations, the Lincoln Flex trial reduced network demand at key times, for instance winter morning or evening peaks.
The partnership with Ecotricity was announced in late 2023, with the trial kicking off in mid-2024. The project was initially planned to run for just over two years, from inception through to the end of winter in 2025. The project’s aim was to deliver 100kW of demand response in the first year, growing to 500kW the following winter.
Some of the first year targets were exceeded and integration with Orion and Ecotricity’s platforms demonstrated the ability of flexibility to help manage peak loads in the Lincoln area. However, following unanticipated challenges in scaling to 500kW for winter 2025, the decision was made by the two partners to end the trial ahead of schedule.
“It’s been terrific working alongside Ecotricity on this trial. Flexibility, as one tool in our toolbox for managing congestion and enhancing hosting capacity at a lower cost, remains central to our vision of enabling a cleaner, brighter future with our community. While it proved challenging to scale flexibility in the Lincoln area, year one of the trial demonstrated the feasibility of flexibility services and highlighted that flexibility market stimulation and deeper customer insight is needed to enable these solutions at scale,” says The Orion Group Chief Executive Nigel Barbour.
“We’re excited to carry forward the lessons and insights gained into our future flexibility initiatives. The biggest takeaway from Lincoln Flex is that it has proved this can work from a technical standpoint as a capacity solution, and that’s hugely promising.”
Al Yates, Ecotricity CEO adds: “This innovative trial demonstrated the ability of flexibility services to meaningfully contribute to network management. Technical integration and the automation of control signals were highlights, with our network of connected batteries being called upon for 37 peak events during winter 2024. We celebrate Orion for being forward-thinking and we look forward to working with them on other flexibility initiatives."
Orion and Ecotricity plan to share more findings from Lincoln Flexibility once the project has been wrapped up.