The Role of Flexibility in a Net Zero Energy System

This webinar discusses the role of flexibility in a net zero energy system.

Running large volumes of renewable generation creates new challenges for the energy system. The sun and wind work to their own schedules; they won’t necessarily be available to generate electricity just because I want to boil the kettle. This means we need to manage demand for electricity differently. Fortunately, that creates an opportunity as much as a challenge — numerous studies have shown that using new digital technologies and energy storage systems to manage our loads more flexibly can significantly reduce the cost of delivering zero carbon energy. This webinar looked at just what this means for the energy system, and for the way that people might interact with it.

Graham Oakes helps people solve complex problems. He’s a systems engineer with 35 years’ experience wiorking with organisations ranging from Cisco, Skype, Sony and Vodafone to Amnesty International, Greenpeace and Oxfam to develop high tech systems, products and services. He entered the energy sector in 2013 when he responded to a challenge prize run by Nesta. That response led to the creation of Upside Energy, which now employs almost 40 people and has built a digital platform to manage flexibility on the energy system. Upside has won numerous prizes and awards for its low carbon innovation.

Since the beginning of 2019, Graham has focused on helping organisations develop products that enable people to engage with and benefit from the energy transition through use of local, community and municipal energy. He is currently working with several such projects in a number of regions in the UK and Europe. He holds a first degree in Geophysics from the University of Queensland and a PhD from Imperial College, London. He is a Chartered Engineer, FBCS and FRSA.