Press Release
October 20, 2020 9:00 AM
Electricity North West accelerates its flexibility procurement by signposting competitions on Piclo Flex
Electricity North West has accelerated its flexibility procurement by publishing a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) [1] on Piclo Flex, an independent online marketplace for trading flexibility.
Flexibility will be crucial for achieving net zero and its procurement is a key step in the transition to Distribution System Operation. Since 2018, Electricity North West has tendered for over 70MW of flexibility services across the North West of England.
The launch of the DPS signals a new commercial partnership between Piclo and Electricity North West, highlighting the network’s intention to launch its seventh set of flexibility competitions later this year on Piclo Flex.
The announcement means Electricity North West will become the fifth network operator to partner with Piclo. By opting to use a DPS, Electricity North West will enhance the engagement process for Flex Providers, reduce administrative barriers and enable competition results to be announced quicker.
James Johnston, CEO and co-founder of Piclo
This stride forward by Electricity North West shows the tide is turning in favour of streamlined, transparent flexibility procurement and we are delighted to be collaborating with ENWL in enabling their ambitions.
Flexibility is the future and we are proud of the role Piclo is playing in enabling a smart, flexible and resilient energy system.
We look forward to our ongoing partnership with Electricity North West and encourage Flex Providers to engage, apply to the Dynamic Purchasing System and upload their assets early.”
Lois Clark, DSO Commercial Manager at Electricity North West
“This partnership demonstrates a key step in our ongoing investment in the key enablers of our people, technology, data and business capabilities that will help these markets to mature, providing greater visibility of network needs and simplifying coordination between all parties.
We are committed to simplifying our approach to flexibility to encourage participation and facilitate our journey to net zero carbon in the North West and are excited to be working with Piclo to help us achieve these goals.”
For further information, please contact:
Gemma Stanley, Policy and Communications Manager, Piclo
Lois Clark, DSO Commercial Manager, Electricity North West
Notes:
[1] Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) - A Dynamic Purchasing System is a completely electronic and automated method of company qualification, simplifying the process by which System Operators pre-qualify Flex Provider companies to take part in flexibility competitions
About Electricity North West
Electricity North West is one of 14 distribution network operators in the UK regulated by Ofgem. It operates the local electricity network and distributes electricity, mainly from the National Grid, to 2.4 million homes and businesses in the North West of England.
It is responsible for maintaining and upgrading 13,000 km of overhead power lines and more than 44,000 km of underground electricity cables and much more.
Their network in the North West of England is one of the most reliable in the country and we are investing £1.9bn by 2023 to ensure we continue to deliver an excellent, safe and affordable service to all our customers.
About Piclo
[This notice was updated on 11 June 2025]
Piclo is the world’s leading independent marketplace for energy flexibility. Our mission is to accelerate the decarbonization of electricity grids by connecting flex sellers - such as EV and battery operators, and DER aggregators - with every potential buyer, everywhere.
Through Piclo’s platform and services, flexibility providers can maximize the value of their assets by accessing a wide range of commercial opportunities across multiple markets and geographies. At the same time, flexibility buyers - including utilities, system operators, and energy retailers - gain access to the world’s largest pool of vetted flex sellers. Our platform helps them procure, operate, and settle flexibility services in a secure, streamlined, and scalable way.
Piclo operates across the USA, Europe, and Australia. Today, over 250 flex sellers - including Octopus Energy, Enel X, and Sunrun - have registered more than 350,000 assets, representing 30+ GW of flexible capacity on the platform. Flexibility buyers on Piclo include NESO, National Grid, SP Energy Networks, Northern Powergrid, E-Distribuzione, E-Redes, and Powercor.
To date, Piclo has enabled over $100 million and 3+ GW in flexibility contracts through its marketplace.
To learn more, get in touch, follow us on LinkedIn, or watch our story on YouTube.