EDF and Puredrive Energy have announced a three-month trial from June to August 2026 that will explore how residential battery systems can support local electricity networks for a more decentralised energy system.
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 Distribution System Operators (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.
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 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.
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, added: "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."
