BEAMA respond to the Smart Flexibility Plan review .
18 January 2019
BEAMA is a trade association representing manufacturers of electrical infrastructure products and systems, from transmission and distribution equipment to the environmental systems and services in the built environment, with over 200 members ranging from SMEs to large multinationals. BEAMA members’ products provide a sustainable, safe, efficient and secure UK electrical system. We support our members in ensuring that the UK has a strong electrotechnical industry that is recognised as an essential part of modern society and brings invaluable economic, social and environmental benefits.
We are very supportive of the Government’s Clean Growth Strategy and Smart Flexibility Plan, and we are pleased to see UK Government making the commitment to develop a market for flexibility. BEAMA is dedicating significant resource to help support specific actions in the plan, including but not limited to the Electric Vehicle Energy Taskforce and associated work packages, storage health and safety work, development of smart appliance standards, DCMS Secure by Design working groups and the Energy Data Task Force.
We believe the plan is fairly comprehensive and the additional 9 new actions are justified. Our feedback is on which areas of the plan should be prioritised by BEIS and Ofgem, and the need for faster action in developing the appropriate regulation and market design to support flexibility. Our core concern is the lack of clarity for the market, and there are significant risks today that the market may stagnate if we don’t secure market structures as soon as possible to support flexibility services. We have also made some suggestions where we see more opportunities for joined up policy.
