EDF and Duracell launch UK home battery trial

EDF Energy and Duracell Energy have embarked on a new three-month trial in the UK during which they will explore how home battery systems can support local electricity networks while creating new revenue opportunities for customers.

As more households adopt technologies such as solar, EVs and battery storage, the project will test how coordinated home energy assets can help build a smarter and more flexible grid.

Running from June to August 2026, the trial will coordinate around 50 residential Duracell Energy battery systems across England, enabling them to participate in local flexibility markets, where battery owners can be rewarded for helping support local electricity networks, and respond to signals from DSOs.

Recent periods of price uncertainty and network constraints have highlighted the need for a more flexible and resilient energy system, capable of balancing supply and demand in real time.

Toward an efficient electricity system

As renewable generation continues to grow and technologies such as electric vehicles, heat pumps and battery storage become more widely adopted, demand side services are playing an increasingly important role in maintaining a reliable and efficient electricity system.

According to the National Infrastructure Commission, greater use of these services could reduce the investment required in electricity distribution networks by around 15%, delivering savings of up to £7.9 billion by 2050.   

Under the trial, EDF will manage participation in local energy markets, drawing on its expertise in tender selection, dispatch strategy and market operations, while Puredrive Energy (the authorised licensee and manufacturer of Duracell Energy home battery storage products) will be responsible for customer recruitment, onboarding and participation throughout the programme.

The project builds on Duracell Energy's existing battery optimisation offering and will support the development of a future grid services proposition, allowing customers to unlock additional revenue from their home battery systems by supporting local networks in exchange for rewards.

By coordinating a network of distributed batteries, the trial will test how smaller assets can collectively deliver valuable services to electricity networks while creating an additional revenue opportunity for customers.

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Unlocking the potential of batteries

Mark Millar, CEO of Puredrive Energy, an authorised Duracell licensee said: "For decades, people have thought of the grid as something that delivers power to homes. We see a future where homes actively support the grid via their home storage systems. This trial is about proving that Duracell Energy battery owners can play a meaningful role in strengthening local networks while being rewarded for the value they provide."

John Grant-Arrowsmith, Senior Manager of Flex Partnerships at EDF Business & Wholesale Services, pointed out that the energy transition isn't just about building more renewable generation.

“It's about using the energy system more intelligently. Distributed batteries have huge potential to provide support where it's needed most, and this trial will help demonstrate how that value can be unlocked at scale."

The two companies said the trial marks an important step towards bringing these services into the mainstream, helping unlock the full value of distributed battery storage for customers, networks and the wider energy system.