24/7 CARBON FREE ENERGY FOR LONDON
What is 24/7 Carbon Free Energy (CFE)?
Matching energy demand to carbon free energy generation every hour. 24/7 CFE is a type of ‘carbon flexing’, which means using a combination of demand flexibility, carbon tracking and verification technologies and services to actively match customer energy demand with periods of lowest grid carbon intensity.
According to SEforAll, an organisation bringing together a coalition around the UN Global Compact on 24/7 CFE, “It is both the end state of a fully decarbonized electricity system, and a transformative approach to energy procurement, supply, and policy design that is critical to accelerating its arrival.”
What was the London 24/7 Carbon Free Energy Project?
Arup, Energy Unlocked and Quantenergy led the London 24/7 CFE Project in 2022-2023, funded by C40 and Google on behalf of the Greater London Authority. The project team developed a roadmap for using a 24/7 Carbon Free Energy approach to drive demand-side flexibility in London.
The project asked, what difference can it make to ‘match’ energy demand to carbon free sources more hours of every day? Does shifting demand to match more to clean energy make it possible to reach net zero faster and contribute to national grid decarbonisation?
What does this mean for London?
London's electrification needs will drive big changes in how the local energy system operates, and London's demand is 15% of national energy demand. It also has ambitious 2030 net zero targets, so needs all the tools it can get to reach that goal faster.
Why Now?
It's the perfect storm of technology readiness, public sector net zero commitments, and market pressure from companies and their customers. More flexibility brings more options for networks and consumers to electrify cheaper and faster on the path to net zero.
How does carbon flexing work in the real world?
In the UK’s first carbon flex trial, our SIF Round 3 CarbonFlex Trellick Tower Pilot involved designing and testing a CarbonFlex service in a London social housing tower block, flexing electric storage heating and hot water charging for grid carbon avoidance. 15% carbon savings were achieved over two weeks in April-May 2024, with positive resident feedback. Energy Unlocked partnered with Connected Response, PeerCo, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and UK Power Networks for the Pilot. Our SIF CarbonFlex Pilot Policy Roadmap Report contains full details and will be published soon.
WHAT ARE THE KEY 24/7 CFE LONDON FINDINGS?
4-8 GW demand flexibility capacity in London by 2030, over half coming from households
That’s 2.5 x the capacity of Hinckley Point C. Households are set to become major demand flexibility players by 2030, mainly due to the electrification of heat and transport
9% projected carbon savings for London from matching demand with renewables around the clock
Carbon savings potential varies between buildings. 20-30% savings were achievable today for one building modelled. 24/7 flexing helps meet grid needs in time and location
Households could benefit from carbon and money saving tools beyond dynamic tariffs
For example, demand flexibility and carbon flexing could be driven though a London offset fund, incentivising flex-enabling building upgrades by landlords and local authorities
FURTHER BACKGROUND 24/7 CFE LONDON
The 24/7 Carbon Flex pilot was first designed during the 24/7 Carbon Free Energy London project in 2022-2023. It was further developed and delivered as a Strategic Innovation Fund R3 Discovery Project in 2024. The 24/7 CFE Project was funded by C40 and Google on behalf of the Mayor of London.