The electricity grid in residential areas is increasingly under pressure. Households are going sustainable, charging electric cars and using solar panels to generate energy. While this is a positive development, it also leads to spikes in energy consumption at times when the grid is not yet able to handle it. LS Flex is a joint initiative by network operators and energy providers to ease that pressure and help customers move forward – today and in the years ahead. 

Tackling grid congestion
together 

As a network operator, we are working hard to expand and upgrade the electricity grid. In many residential areas, however, demand for electricity is growing faster than we can build. This calls for additional solutions. 

This is why Liander and other network operators have joined forces with other energy providers to ensure smarter use of the grid. Instead of adding more capacity, we are exploring ways to better utilise the existing capacity. We do that by incentivising households to shift their energy usage to quieter periods on the grid. 

What is
LS Flex? 

LS Flex stands for flexibility in the low-voltage grid. It is about better aligning electricity usage with what the grid can handle at any one time. Put simply, the aim is to shift consumption to quieter periods on the grid or periods when there is ample availability of renewable energy. 

This can be achieved by: 

• charging electric vehicles mainly when the sun is shining or later in the evening
• making smart use of home batteries
• making flexible use of heavy equipment

In exchange, households get financial incentives or discounts, including on home batteries. Comfort and freedom of choice still come first. The participating parties’ shared goal is to reduce peak power usage, thus preventing low-voltage grid overload and creating scope for autonomous growth. 

Scaling up
together 

LS Flex is not an isolated experiment. We partner with other network operators and energy providers to further scale up flexible solutions. This takes shape through nationwide partnerships to explore where flexibility is needed, how much of it is needed, and how it can be applied in a careful and responsible way.

A key principle here is that customers should barely notice any impact from the flexible control of their devices. Comfort and freedom of choice still come first. At the same time, we are exploring forms of compensation that would best fit this new way of working together.