Subject: Power in the City: hitting home, OpenDSR for all, and more...

Hi Friend,

We are well into 2023 now, with various Carbon Co-op projects progressing rapidly. We are excited to announce the launch of our new 'OpenDSR for All' project, where we will be exploring how interoperable Demand Side Response and Home Energy Management Systems can help the grid in future winters.

The latest episode of our Power in the City podcast is out now, with episode four diving deep into the home and learning from local households in Oldham. Make sure to listen closely, and don't forget the accompanying blogpost.

We are wrapping up our annual members survey soon, so if you haven't had the chance to fill it in yet, now is the time to have your say about our work.

There is a lot more exciting news to come this year, and we look forward to sharing new developments and news with you soon.

OpenDSR for All project launch

A photo of a man with an electric bicycle next to an electric vehicle in front of a terraced house with external wall insualtion.

We are excited to be exploring device 'open standards' in our new BEIS feasibility study. Accessibility of smart energy appliances, such as electric vehicle chargers, electric heating and battery storage, are a key part of reducing reliance on fossil fuels in the grid. But these devices use a lot of electricity, so it is important to charge at times when the grid has enough supply, and when that supply is as green as possible – flexing when these appliances are used is known as ‘Demand Side Response’.

Read the full article

Heat pump installers delivery quality customer service see great results

A photo of two men installing a hot water tank and heat pump

Heat pump installers are busier than ever. Whether an engineer has been installing heat pumps for decades, or is just dipping their toe into this market, they need a combination of technical expertise and strong skills in customer service to help their clients get the best results from their new technology. We spoke to two experienced heat pump installers to find out their top tips for customer service.

Read the full article

Power in the City Episode 4: Hitting home

Power in the City Episode 4 podcast graphic

This episode is all about staying warm. By putting a jumper on your home! Yes, it’s about energy efficiency in the home, about retrofit, its benefits for householders and the difficulties (and nifty ideas) that arise when trying to scale that up across different building types and tenures. Join us as we hit home in Oldham and learn from local householders, crafts people and other brilliant experts.

Listen to the full episode and read more about it

PowerShaper Flex demonstrates power of community flexibility

A graph demonstrating the flexibility generated by PowerShaper Flex participants

42 PowerShaper Flex participants came together to collectively generate 19.58 kWh during one flexibility event this month. The PowerShaper Flex service is demonstrating the power of co-operative action and flexibility to support our energy grid in transitioning to renewable energy.

In addition to supporting the energy grid of the future, PowerShaper Flex participants are able to save their personal energy, reduce their carbon emissions and earn rewards for the flexibility they are generating. Find out more today!

Learn more about PowerShaper Flex

What we are reading

A photo of Mick Wall standing in front of his house

Heat pumps: The 'geeks' obsessing over their new heating systems

He's got heat meters fixed to the pipework. Room temperature monitors. And gadgets tracking how much electricity his solar panels are generating. Read the full story...

In the news

Government announces smart EV charging plan

The Electric Vehicle (EV) Smart Charging Action Plan, published by government and Ofgem, aims to unlock the potential of smart EV charging and reduce costs for consumers.

Read the full story...