The UK Flexibility Roadmap: Enel X’s Perspective

The UK government’s July 2025 Flexibility Roadmap sets out a clear vision: demand-side flexibility will be central to reaching the country’s net zero goals. Enel X strongly welcomes this recognition and was proud to contribute to the consultation process that shaped the roadmap.

The UK Flexibility Roadmap rightly puts demand-side response at the heart of net zero. Flexibility is no longer optional: it is essential. 

As a manager of 9.8 GW of flexible energy assets across 15,000 commercial sites in 14 countries, Enel X has long championed the role of flexibility in creating a secure, affordable, and decarbonised energy system.

NESO has projected that by 2030 the UK will need 25-45 GW of within-day flexibility, mainly from smart EV charging, vehicle-to-grid, electric heat, smart appliances, and battery storage. That’s a seismic shift from the traditional centralised system of mostly fossil-fuelled power plants to one enabled by millions of commercial, industrial, and residential sites.

This transformation requires a new approach to planning and operating the power system, putting customers' capabilities and interests at the centre.

While much of the government’s messaging has centred on domestic flexibility, commercial and industrial customers play a critical role. Their participation not only supports decarbonisation but also boosts competitiveness in British industry.

At Enel X, we see this every day. Through the UK Capacity Market, our commercial and industrial clients unlock valuable revenues by participating. These flexibility earnings don’t just strengthen the grid: they also support businesses on their own decarbonisation journeys.

Industrial and commercial flexibility is one of the UK’s untapped strengths. These businesses already have the scale, assets and processes in place to deliver meaningful system services today; unlocking their participation at speed will be essential if the UK is to hit the 2030 targets.

The roadmap takes important steps forward on governance, including:

• Establishing a Flexibility Commissioner
• Creating a dedicated Electricity System Flexibility division within DESNZ
• Introducing monitoring mechanisms like an Annual Roadmap Forum and quarterly workshops

These are welcome measures. However, with 2030 only five years away, we encourage government to set interim milestones. For example, half the required capacity should be achieved by 2027 and key metrics should be publicly available.

We also strongly support Elexon’s role as Market Facilitator and its focus on revenue stacking, which is world-leading in its structure and practicality.

Many of the barriers to flexibility participation are longstanding and well-documented. The priority now is to move from analysis to action, accelerating reforms and enabling real-world participation.

For non-domestic flexibility in particular, the focus should be on:

• Removing barriers that prevent entry into existing markets
• Avoiding siloed programmes that could fragment resources
• Recognising the value of aggregators, who combine diverse assets into effective portfolios

Enel X is proud to be a key driver of flexibility in the UK. Our recent P415 proposal, now adopted by Ofgem, allows flexible assets to participate directly in the wholesale market - a clear example of how innovation and collaboration can unlock value.

We will continue to work with regulators, grid operators, businesses, and government to ensure that the UK achieves its ambitious 2030 targets and builds an energy system fit for 2050 and beyond.