UK Expands Year-Round Payments to Reduce Electricity Use

The National Energy System Operator aims to minimize blackout risks by incentivizing reduced energy consumption as reliance on renewables grows.

The Demand Flexibility Service (DFS) will now offer payments to households and businesses for reducing electricity use throughout the year, not just in winter.
This initiative follows the closure of the UK's last coal-fired power plant and the anticipated shutdown of several nuclear reactors, increasing reliance on intermittent renewable energy sources.
The UK expects to import more electricity from European interconnectors, with a significant portion of its power coming from countries like France, Denmark, and Norway.
Neso reports that the risk of winter blackouts is at its lowest in four years, thanks to increased battery storage, small-scale renewables, and abundant gas supplies.
The Viking power link, a new high-voltage cable with Denmark, is part of the UK's strategy to create a flexible, low-carbon electricity grid, critical for meeting 2050 climate targets.