EDF and Duracell Energy launch battery storage flexibility trial
EDF and Puredrive Energy, manufacturer of Duracell Energy home battery systems, have launched a three-month trial that will explore how residential battery storage can support local electricity flexibility.
The trial from June to August 2026 will coordinate around 50 residential Duracell Energy battery systems across England, enabling them to participate in local flexibility markets and access demand side response incentives.
The partners said that recent periods of price uncertainty and network constraints have highlighted the need for a more flexible and resilient energy system, capable of balancing supply and demand in real time.
According to the National Infrastructure Commission, greater use of demand side response could reduce the investment required in electricity distribution networks by around 15%, delivering savings of up to £7.9 billion by 2050.
Under the trial, EDF will manage the participation in local energy markets, drawing on its expertise in tender selection, dispatch strategy and market operations, while Puredrive Energy will be responsible for customer recruitment, onboarding and participation throughout the programme.
Mark Millar, CEO of Puredrive Energy said:
For decades, people have thought of the grid as something that delivers power to homes. We see a future where homes actively support the grid via their home storage systems. This trial is about proving that Duracell Energy battery owners can play a meaningful role in strengthening local networks while being rewarded for the value they provide.”
The project builds on Duracell Energy’s existing battery optimisation and will support the development of a future Grid Services proposition. This will allow customers to unlock additional revenue from their home battery systems by supporting local networks. By coordinating a network of distributed batteries, the trial will also test how smaller assets can collectively deliver valuable services to electricity networks, the partners said.
John Grant-Arrowsmith, Senior Manager of Flex Partnerships at EDF Business & Wholesale Services, said:
The energy transition isn’t just about building more renewable generation. It’s about using the energy system more intelligently. Distributed batteries have huge potential to provide support where it’s needed most, and this trial will help demonstrate how that value can be unlocked at scale.”
