Utility Week Flex Awards

The Utility Week Flex Awards are back for a third year, celebrating innovators dedicated
to advancing energy flexibility. The market is evolving, and the Awards exist to recognise the
developments and pioneers. Have a look at the new category line-up.

The free-to-attend ceremony will be hosted at Europe's only pan-utility exhibition,
Utility Week Live (19 May, NEC).

The Awards recognise pilot projects and trials, celebrate flexibility pioneers and unearth the
companies and individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to pioneering solutions in
energy flexibility. Your project or trial does not need to be complete, entries covering live
trials and projects will be accepted. The judges are looking for bold thinking, tangible
progress and insights that are advancing the sector.

Entries have now closed. But celebrate your industry peers at the free ceremony on
the show floor at UWL26.

AI for Flex Award

Celebrating innovative uses of AI to unlock energy flexibility capacity and better serve domestic and wholesale customers. The project, pilot or initiative should have operated between February 2024 and March 2025.

Best Flexible Storage Project

Awarding a project which provides flexible storage to enable a clean energy system on grid or domestic scale. This project could be an example of battery storage, V2G, long duration energy storage, thermal storage etc. This project should have been live between January 2025 and March 2026.

Best I&C Initiative

Celebrating a project or initiative which successfully engages industrial and commercial users in energy flexibility and creates long lasting partnerships for future flexibility procurement. The initiative or partnership should be underway during the period January 2025 and March 2026. This category is open to networks, industrial and commercial users of energy, and anyone aggregating or managing I&C energy use.

Best Local Energy Project

Awarding a project, partnership or initiative developed by or in partnership with a community group or local authority to generate, manage and use energy in a carbon conscious way to contribute to the decarbonisation of the energy grid. This award is open to any organisation working on a local energy project.

Best Multi-Vector Project for Flexibility

Highlighting an outstanding project or partnership across different energy vectors which dynamically and flexibly responds to the needs of customers. This award celebrates a project, initiative or partnership which leverages multiple energy vectors to drive resilience and ensure the system can maintain balance during supply shortages or demand spikes. The project should have operated between February 2024 and March 2025.

Best Use of Energy Flexibility Data

Recognising a project or initiative that is utilising data to unlock opportunities that drive efficiency, lower the barriers to entry and promote uptake of energy flexibility. The project, pilot or initiative should have operated between February 2024 and March 2025.

Domestic Flexibility Proposition of the Year

Awarding a project that is successfully trialling or implementing energy flexibility in the domestic consumer market. This could include tariff innovation, engagement in demand response, flexing low-carbon heat, automating assets, or any initiative that creates clear benefits for customers, the wider energy system, and blazes a trail for further projects to come. This category is open to any organisation which has a product, service or project improving domestic flexibility. The initiative should be underway during the period January 2025 and March 2026.

Energy Flexibility Newcomer

Recognising a startup or new division of a company which is paving the way for energy flexibility and seeks to enable, scale and engage end users in energy flexibility. The company or division should have been established on or after January 1st 2021.

Energy Network of the Year

Celebrating an energy network which is demonstrating a commitment to customer inclusivity, best user experience and enabling energy flexibility across its grid. This category highlights a network taking a forward-thinking approach to energy flexibility that enables grid decarbonisation, unlocks future opportunities and embraces the rollout of digital infrastructure.

Equity and Inclusion in Flex Award

Celebrating an organisation, company or initiative, that is making a conscious effort to ensure energy flex products and markets are accessible to all household types and businesses and is putting vulnerable customers at the heart of its energy flexibility plans. The organisation or initiative should be ensuring energy flexibility is accessible and inclusive for all consumers and a priority during the period January 2025 and March 2026.

Flexibility Pioneer of the Year

Celebrating an individual industry champion of energy flexibility who is making an outstanding contribution to the development, roll out and scaling of energy flexibility.

Flexibility Rising Star

Recognising a rising star in energy flexibility who is going above and beyond to embrace innovation, drive impact and scale energy flexibility. The individual should have started working in energy flexibility on or after January 1st 2021.

Flexibility Service Provider of the Year

Awarding a Flexibility Service Provider which is demonstrating a clear commitment to removing barriers for domestic and/or I&C consumers to engage in the market and is actively delivering flexibility to networks.