Power Pause: rewarding you for using less electricity
We’ve joined the National Grid’s Demand Flexibility Service.
Good Energy’s Power Pause, pays customers for reducing their energy usage during planned periods between November 2023 and March 2024.
Read on to find out what the Demand Flexibility Service is, how it helps Britain’s energy grid to become greener, and how you can take part.
What is the Demand Flexibility Service?
The Demand Flexibility Service was introduced by the National Grid last winter. It incentivises homes and businesses to move their electricity consumption away from peak times, to help balance the electricity grid and reduce its carbon intensity.
And it has returned this winter.
National Grid will identify 12 periods between November 2023 and March 2024 when they want to flatten peaks in the grid. Participating customers that successfully reduce their usage during these times will be rewarded with a credit on their energy bill.
Additional events might be added to this schedule throughout the winter as new periods of high energy demand are identified.
How does reducing energy peaks help to make the grid greener?
National electricity demand peaks at times when we all want to use it for things like cooking, washing, lighting and entertainment. This is typically between 5pm and 8pm.
These peaks in demand often need to be met by turning on back-up fossil fuel generators, which increases the amount of gas and coal being burnt to generate electricity.
If more of us shift some of the electricity we use to different times, we can flatten these energy peak and meet more of our needs with renewables and low carbon sources. This cuts carbon emissions and reduces our contribution to global heating.
How do I reduce my electricity consumption during the Power Pause events?
Here are some ideas on how to save electricity during each Power Pause event.
- Firstly, stay safe – please don’t sit in the dark and cold.*
- Cook a meal in advance if you’re using the oven, then either reheat it using the microwave, or make a salad or a sandwich.
- Don’t run your washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher.
- Take a break from tea (rather than a tea break) and don’t boil the kettle.
- Charge devices before the Power Pause event, and work using battery power.
- If you have a home battery or EV, charge it outside the Power Pause event.
- Try activities that don’t use as much electricity – such as reading, playing games and doing crafts.
*Power Pause rewards you for saving electricity. If your home is heated by gas or oil, reducing your heating consumption will not affect how much money you save.
How can I join Power Pause?
Here’s what you’ll need to know to take part:
1. Check if you are eligible.
Power Pause is open to our home energy customers with a smart meter. If you don’t have a smart meter, please request one here so you don’t miss out. Your smart meter should be set to send us half hourly meter readings, and we’ll need to have an email address for you on file too.
2. Register your interest for Power Pause.
You can register to take part in the scheme here.
3. Reduce your energy use during the Power Pause event
Each Power Pause event will last between 1 and 4 hours. Reduce how much electricity you use for the whole event to make the biggest savings.
4. Get paid for saving
We’ll pay you based on a rate set by National Grid for all the electricity you saved compared with your typical usage. We’ll send you an email letting you know how much you saved, and add this as a credit to your account.
