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An electric vehicle charger in Bridgend, South Wales, has become the 200,000th asset registered on National Grid’s flexibility market platform (Market Gateway): a major milestone in the UK’s journey toward a smarter, more flexible energy system.
This marks a significant advance in scaling up local grid flexibility across a region that covers South Wales, the South West, and the Midlands, reinforcing the role of National Grid’s Distribution System Operator (DSO) in enabling the UK’s energy transition.
Launched in February 2023, Market Gateway has transformed local energy flexibility by creating a procurement market that helps National Grid actively manage its distribution network to affordably deliver power to over eight million customers.
Flexibility Service Providers throughout the region register assets on Market Gateway, including electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, heat pumps and energy storage devices. These assets are then able to provide services to National Grid DSO by changing the way energy is used or produced.
This can reduce strain on the network and may avoid costly network upgrades to handle temporary demand spikes. In simple terms, this could be increasing or decreasing the use of energy, or changing the time at which energy is put into the electricity network.
“Our DSO’s unique platform has demonstrated how flexibility can play a key role in optimising network investment and operation, helping to manage local energy needs more efficiently as part of a whole-system approach,” said Yingyi Wang, Flexibility Commercial Manager at National Grid DSO.
“Our customers are now an active part of the energy system, rather than passive power consumers. Locally generated energy is being fed into the grid when it’s needed, and locally focused demand uses up excess power on very sunny or windy days when we have a surplus of renewable energy.
“This flexible power is almost exclusively generated by cheaper, cleaner methods – improving both bills and environmental impacts. In the last year, we’ve saved our customers over £75,000 and driven down the carbon intensity of flexible power by over 90%.”
Close collaboration between National Grid and Flexibility Service Providers has driven this remarkable growth. Asset registrations have more than doubled again year-on-year, with around 10,000 assets signing up to the platform every month.
This surge reflects growing confidence in the platform and its role in enabling a smarter, more responsive energy system.
Axle Energy is one of the Flexible Service Providers actively participating in flexibility tenders through Market Gateway.
Karl Bach, Co-Founder and CEO of Axle Energy, said:
“Reaching the 200,000th asset on Market Gateway is a landmark moment for the entire energy system, and we’re proud that it’s one of ours.
“This milestone shows how far and fast flexibility has grown in just a few short years. Working closely with National Grid’s DSO, we’re seeing real benefits flow through to our customers.
“Flexibility and reliability are the cornerstone of a smarter, clearer energy system. Market Gateway champions both, creating a marketplace that works for suppliers, markets and most importantly customers.”
In June 2025, National Grid DSO published the latest Flexibility Markets Insights Report, available from its resource library: https://dso.nationalgrid.co.uk/resource-centre/publications-library. The report shares key outcomes from its flexibility market activities between April 2024 and March 2025.
“The data clearly shows that Market Gateway is central to building a future-ready flexibility market,” added Yingyi. “This milestone represents the growth of a smarter, cleaner, and more responsive energy system which puts communities at the heart of the transition. In just 30 months, we’ve made remarkable progress, and I’m confident the momentum will only grow from here.”
For more information, potential flexibility service providers can visit the dedicated Market Gateway section of National Grid DSO’s website - https://marketgateway.nationalgrid.co.uk/.