Businesses are big energy users, particularly those with significant heating and cooling requirements. Many also produce energy now from renewables. The size of their demand means that optimising energy use, by deferring it unless it’s absolutely necessary and/or the price is right, can offer them substantial savings. Selling any excess energy generated or stored can also reap financial rewards.

Financially incentivising businesses to move their energy use away from periods of peak demand or grid congestion can alleviate grid stress. Likewise the ability to call on their backup power supplies in grid emergencies. By offering flexibility this way, businesses can help avoid or delay expensive grid upgrades which have long lead times and ultimately push up prices. To optimise the volume and use of flexibility across the whole energy system, it needs to be commoditized and tradeable. USEF makes this possible by providing a flexibility market design and the rules and tools to make it function efficiently and fairly. It is already being implemented across Europe to accelerate and futureproof smart energy projects by ensuring they are scalable and interconnectable.