This project will address a key gap for DNO/DSOs by improving visibility and understanding of flexibility across the network. It will develop and test a practical approach to forecasting when and where flexibility is likely to be available, both for real-time operations and future network planning. The project is focused on solving a system challenge, enabling better use of existing flexible demand and generation to support network operation and reduce costs. It will create clear and usable flexibility profiles (e.g. when assets are available, how they behave, and how they can respond), giving DNO/DSOs better insight to act with confidence. The project will also help unlock flexibility from customer groups that are underrepresented in the market (such as local authorities, SMEs, and commercial buildings). 

Benefits

The FOMo Platform will facilitate the engagement of large DNO/DSO customers (e.g. local authorities, SMEs, commercial real estate) in flexibility markets, both local and national (NESO, balancing mechanism, etc.). It will do this by enabling real estate owners to identify their existing flex capacity and methods to unlock new flex capacity. This will enable them to generate new revenues by automated control of demand and/or generation at times of high flex demand, thus reducing their overall energy spend. These benefits will vary according to customer, measured as a % net energy cost saving. 

FOMo has the potential to unlock flexible capacity to avoid grid reinforcement costs in the SPM license area amounting to £0.9m in 2028 rising to £17m in 2046, reducing the cost passed on to consumers. In addition, new flex revenues will improve the financial performance of otherwise marginal low carbon technologies (LCTs), stimulating new investments in these, with the potential of delivering in SPM net energy cost savings to customers of £2m in 2028, rising to £35m in 2046.