Inclusive Smart Solutions was a £2.75m programme funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s £65m Flexibility Innovation Programme, which sought to enable large-scale widespread electricity system flexibility through smart, flexible, secure, and accessible technologies and markets.

The programme was funded through the government’s £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP), which provides funding for low-carbon technologies and systems and aims to decrease the costs of decarbonisation helping enable the UK to end its contribution to climate change.

Context

A smart and flexible future energy system that works for all consumers is critical to achieving Net Zero. Innovative solutions designed to support flexibility will play an important part in bringing about the transition to a future energy system. Whilst these innovations present clear opportunities and benefits, there is a risk that certain groups of consumers may be inadvertently disadvantaged or excluded, especially low income and vulnerable (LIV) consumers. An understanding of the specific barriers faced by LIV consumers in engaging with a future energy system, and of how innovators can best meet these challenges, is therefore crucial.

Approach

The Inclusive Smart Solutions programme focused on understanding and addressing the barriers faced by LIV consumers in a future energy system, through original research and the subsequent testing of solutions geared towards increasing the engagement of LIV consumers. Bringing together expertise in consumer insights and energy system innovation, Energy Systems Catapult delivered on the aims of the programme through two phases of work between September 2023 and March 2025.

Phase 1 focused on conducting primary research with LIV consumers to maximise the understanding of their needs and existing barriers, and using the insights to develop innovative solutions for LIV consumers. This was delivered alongside a thorough ‘Open Innovation’ selection process, where solutions were identified to progress into Phase 2.

Phase 2 aimed to develop and trial (up to) four smart solutions with consumers, including representation from those identified as facing barriers in Phase 1 and prior research. Four solutions were developed and tested during Phase 2: Repowering Homes, Changeworks (Smart Tenant Smart Home), Homely Assist and equiwatt.

Conclusions

The ISS programme has delivered on its ambitions to further an understanding of consumer barriers to a smart, future energy system, and to develop and trial innovative solutions to support consumer participation. The devised approach of working across delivery partners, innovators and experts with lived experience has been validated, and provides a blueprint for further work across the energy industry and government when developing innovative propositions for consumers. Several insights and implications have been identified and reported from this research, from macro-level policy insights to micro-level consumer and user considerations.

For further information on the programme and the key insights and recommendations please consult the Final Report.

Project Lead: Energy Systems Catapult
Project participants: Ipsos Mori, The Carbon Trust, TPX Impact, Repowering London, equiwatt, Homely and Changeworks