2024 is sprinting to its end and I have been independent chair of FlexForum for nearly 4 months.
In this short time, I have met one on one with all Steering Group members – Shay Brazier (Revolve), John Campbell (Our Energy), Ryan Kuggeleijn (Meridian), Rebecca Osborne (Transpower), Terry Paddy (Cortexo), Matt Smith (Vector), and Fiona Wiseman (Manawa) – and our observers from Ara Ake, Commerce Commission, Electricity Authority, Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
I have also met with important fellow travellers – Electricity Networks Aotearoa and Electricity Engineers Association – and discussed how we can work together.
And amongst all of this, Flex Day happened on 17 October with 55 people from 35 flex-keen organisations and groups turning up in Christchurch to look forward at the opportunities for flexibility and identifying 6 ideas for learning-by-doing to demonstrate the benefits of flexibility.
My reflection from these few short months is FlexForum is the right people at the right time.
FlexForum has established itself as representing a wide range of organisations seeking to contribute.
The electricity sector has talked about load control, demand response, demand management, control and now flexibility for a long time.
But with us and our children soon to be getting a very large electricity infrastructure bill, there has never been a better time to harness every resource we have so households, businesses and
communities can experience the tangible benefits of a lowest cost, highly reliable and resilient and sustainable electricity supply.
So as we roll into the Christmas break what have I found and what are the flex prospects for 2025?
Everyone I have spoken to is attracted to a place that supports coordinated and collaborative action to make it easier for households, businesses and communities to maximise the value of consumer and distributed energy resources and flexibility. Put simply, it is not a policy shop, it is a forum for sharing ideas and participation in activity to accelerate electrification by households and businesses and support affordable and reliable operation of the electricity market and power system
Flex Forum already has a Flexibility Plan which is currently being updated and is looking at how it can pursue the Flex Day ideas, including partnering with others who want to see the promise and benefits of flexibility realised as soon as possible.
If we learnt anything in 2024 it was that the electricity system has been caught out by reaching our limit of electricity capacity, fuel availability and peak demand growth. This is the moment where we need to unlock the potency of flexibility whether it is to defer network investment or allow retailers to manage their risks or help households to keep the lights on after major storms or businesses realise the productivity benefits of lower power bills.
The most important thing is that the benefits always flow back to the households, businesses and communities.
I hope everyone gets a break over Christmas and I look forward to working with you all in 2025.
Get in touch: info@flexforum.nz
