Ireland launches EV Flex smart charging trial to cut grid costs
Summary
ESB Networks and Ohme will launch the six-month EV Flex trial in mid-August, asking drivers to keep EVs plugged in at home for smart, grid-aligned charging. Participants can earn up to €78, helping test how financial incentives shift plug-in behavior and reduce peak demand.
Irish distribution system operator ESB Networks and smart charging company Ohme will launch EV Flex in mid-August. Rather than only plugging in when their cars need charging, participating drivers will be asked to leave them connected whenever they are parked at home. Ohme can then use its software to shift charging to times that better suit the electricity grid. Participants can earn up to €78 over the six-month trial.
“Electricity flexibility services could potentially help save consumers money in energy costs and this trial aims to demonstrate that customer engagement is essential in generating more flexibility and helping the system meet peak demand, reducing costs and carbon emissions for everyone,” said David Watson, CEO of Ohme. “Our participation in similar trials in the UK have shown that Ohme can play a crucial role in domestic flexibility by engaging customers. We’ve demonstrated that our customers will shift their plug-in behaviour when needed, delivering significant flexible capacity through dynamic automated charging.”
ESB Networks will use the trial to study how EV drivers respond to smart charging and whether they change their plug-in behaviour when offered financial incentives. The project complements the network operator’s existing flexibility programmes.
“We’re delighted to partner with Ohme on the EV Flex trial as we continue to explore new ways to make flexibility simple, accessible and rewarding for customers. Alongside initiatives such as ‘Is This a Good Time?’ and other flexibility programmes, this trial will provide valuable insight into how EV drivers engage with smart charging and flexible electricity use,” said Aisling Walsh, Customer and Strategy Manager at ESB Networks.
Ohme previously took part in the UK’s CrowdFlex home energy flexibility trial, which ran from May 2024 to September 2025 and included more than 400 flexibility events. The company involved up to 20,000 customers per trial, paid participants a total of £750,000 and flexed almost 150 MW of electricity.
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