Flexibility ‘critical’ for demand and emissions challenges

Greater energy flexibility will be critical to meet the challenges of rising demand and climate change, according to a new report.

With the distributed energy resources market expected to more than double by 2027, flexibility will play an important role across areas including virtual power plants (VPPs), electric vehicles, corporate power purchase agreements, energy procurement and energy storage.

The report by GridBeyond concludes that achieving net zero targets will require a smarter and more flexible energy system.

While reducing energy consumption or utilising flexibility is often the most obvious way for businesses to reduce impact, the report said this may not be possible where it’s crucial for assets or processes to maintain continuous operation.

“As a result, many companies are procuring energy from renewable generation sources as part of their net zero plans, meaning CPPAs, certificate trading and more sophisticated procurement strategies will also play a big role in 2025 and beyond,” the report predicted.