Mapping Energy Data to Help Community Spaces Take Part in Electricity Network Flexibility

Key Takeaways

• Tool maps community assets to electricity flex tender zones
• Flexibility schemes reward reduced or shifted electricity use
• Community centres can become energy aggregators with new tech
• Data collection required merging DNO tender boundaries and postcode data
• Map supports policy advocacy for third‑sector energy participation

Pulse Analysis

Energy flexibility is becoming a cornerstone of the United Kingdom’s strategy to balance supply and demand on a decarbonising grid. Network operators issue "flex tenders" that pay large‑scale users to adjust consumption during peak periods, helping avoid costly infrastructure upgrades. Historically, only industrial facilities with sizable, controllable loads could participate, but the proliferation of solar panels, heat pumps, electric vehicles and battery storage is lowering the entry barrier for smaller entities, including community centres and schools.

mySociety’s new mapping solution tackles the data‑intensive challenge of aligning these emerging community assets with the fragmented flex‑tender landscape. By aggregating tender boundaries from six distribution network operators, reconciling postcode‑level data, and overlaying socioeconomic indicators such as energy poverty, the tool provides Social Investment Business analysts with a clear visual of where potential capacity exists. This granular insight turns abstract policy concepts into actionable outreach, allowing SIB to approach specific organisations that meet the technical criteria for each tender area.

Beyond immediate revenue opportunities, the map serves as a persuasive policy instrument. It quantifies the latent contribution of the third sector to grid stability, offering evidence that can inform government incentives, funding mechanisms, and regulatory adjustments. As more community groups adopt flexible technologies, the model can be scaled nationally, accelerating the democratisation of the electricity network and reinforcing the UK’s broader climate objectives.