FleXEdge aims to unlock the full potential of grid-edge flexibility—such as electric vehicles, heat pumps, and smart appliances—to accelerate the net-zero transition. While the UK and EU have made significant progress in renewable generation, current flexibility markets remain dominated by gas-fired plants. Grid-edge devices, however, represent a growing, low-cost and clean source of flexibility, supported by ambitious electrification targets in both the UK and Luxembourg. In addition, local flexibility markets are expanding rapidly, yet they remain poorly connected to national markets, often restrict multi-service participation, and lack scalable coordination.
The project will develop an integrated research program combining distributed AI, innovative market mechanisms, and cloud-to-edge computing to support the large-scale integration of flexible devices into both local and national electricity markets. The key challenge is to manage millions of distributed devices across different spatial and temporal scales under uncertainty, while ensuring reliable operation of the power system. It will provide the methods and tools needed to unlock grid-edge flexibility, reducing reliance on fossil-based flexibility and accelerating the transition to net zero.
Figure 1. Main Architecture of FleXEdge
Key objectives in this project include:
