ESB Networks and Ohme will launch the EV Flex trial in mid-August to explore how electric vehicle drivers can support electricity-grid flexibility through smart charging. Participants will be encouraged to keep their EVs plugged in whenever they are parked at home, allowing Ohme’s software to automatically shift charging to periods that better suit the electricity grid. Drivers can earn up to €78 during the six-month trial. The initiative will also examine how financial incentives influence EV drivers’ charging behaviour and whether domestic EV charging can help manage peak electricity demand.
Key Overview
- ESB Networks and Ohme will launch the EV Flex trial in mid-August.
- The trial will run for six months.
- Participating EV drivers can earn up to €78.
- Drivers will be encouraged to plug in whenever their vehicles are parked at home.
- Ohme’s software will shift charging to periods that better suit the electricity grid.
- The trial will examine customer engagement with smart charging and flexible electricity use.
- Ohme previously participated in the UK’s CrowdFlex home energy flexibility trial.
- CrowdFlex involved more than 400 flexibility events and up to 20,000 customers per trial.
- Ohme says it flexed almost 150 MW of electricity during the UK trials.
ESB Networks and Ohme Launch EV Flex Trial
ESB Networks and smart charging company Ohme are preparing to launch the EV Flex trial in mid-August, giving electric vehicle drivers an opportunity to earn rewards while helping provide greater flexibility to Ireland’s electricity system.
The six-month trial will encourage participating drivers to leave their electric vehicles plugged in whenever they are parked at home, rather than connecting them only when the vehicle needs to be charged.
This will give the electricity network a larger pool of controllable charging demand.
Ohme’s software will then automatically shift charging sessions to times that better suit the electricity grid.
Participants can earn up to €78 during the trial.
How EV Flex Smart Charging Works
The EV Flex trial is based on changing when EVs charge rather than simply increasing or reducing the amount of electricity used.
Participating drivers will be asked to plug in their vehicles whenever they are parked at home.
Ohme’s dynamic charging software can then manage the timing of charging sessions, helping shift electricity demand away from periods when the network is under greater pressure.
The approach could provide additional flexible capacity that can be used to help manage peak electricity demand.
For drivers, the programme provides financial rewards for participating in the flexibility service.
For the electricity system, more frequent plug-in events create a larger pool of EV charging demand that can potentially be shifted when needed.
What ESB Networks Expects to Learn
ESB Networks will use the trial to examine how EV drivers respond to smart charging and whether financial incentives influence their plug-in behaviour.
The project forms part of the network operator’s wider flexibility programmes.
ESB Networks Customer and Strategy Manager Aisling Walsh said the company was exploring ways to make flexibility simple, accessible and rewarding for customers.
The trial will provide insight into how EV drivers engage with smart charging and flexible electricity use.
Walsh also said working with partners such as Ohme would help ESB Networks better understand customer behaviours and preferences as it develops future flexibility services.
Smart Charging Could Support Peak Demand
The trial is designed around the idea that EV charging can become a source of flexibility for the electricity network.
When drivers plug in their vehicles whenever they are parked at home, charging does not necessarily have to take place immediately.
Instead, charging can be shifted to periods that are more suitable for the electricity system.
Ohme CEO David Watson said electricity flexibility services could potentially help consumers save money on energy costs while helping the system meet peak demand.
He said customer engagement was essential to generating greater flexibility.
The company believes its experience in similar UK trials demonstrates that EV drivers can change their plug-in behaviour when required, creating flexible electricity capacity through automated charging.
Context is everything. Stay ahead of shifting trends with today’s market updates, and uncover emerging opportunities using the Serrari Group Market Index and Marketplace. Then, take control of your own financial future by exploring our Money & Life Reset Transformation Blueprint ™ to build stronger habits, create better systems, and design a path toward lasting wealth.
Lessons From the UK CrowdFlex Trial
Ohme’s Irish trial builds on its participation in the UK’s CrowdFlex home energy flexibility trial, which ran from May 2024 to September 2025.
The UK programme included more than 400 flexibility events.
Ohme involved up to 20,000 customers per trial, paid participants a combined £750,000, and flexed almost 150 MW of electricity.
The results provide a reference point for the potential of domestic flexibility and smart EV charging.
However, the Irish EV Flex programme will operate over a six-month period, giving ESB Networks an opportunity to examine customer behaviour within the Irish electricity system.
Ohme’s Role in Ireland
Ohme is providing the technology that will manage participating vehicles’ charging behaviour during the trial.
Its software enables charging sessions to be shifted automatically based on the requirements of the electricity system.
The company has also established a presence in Ireland’s home EV charging market through relationships with automakers.
Ohme is the official charger provider for Ford, Suzuki and the Volkswagen Group in Ireland.
Supporting Ireland’s Energy Flexibility
The EV Flex trial reflects growing interest in using electric vehicles as part of a more flexible electricity system.
As more drivers adopt EVs, their charging demand can become an increasingly important component of electricity consumption.
Smart charging provides a way to manage that demand by shifting charging to different times rather than requiring drivers to change their daily routines manually.
For ESB Networks, the trial will provide information on how customers respond to financial incentives and automated charging.
For Ohme, it provides an opportunity to apply its smart charging technology to another domestic flexibility programme.
Outlook
The EV Flex trial will test whether smart charging can make EVs a useful source of domestic electricity flexibility while giving drivers financial incentives to participate. With rewards of up to €78, the six-month programme will examine whether customers are willing to keep their vehicles plugged in at home and allow charging to be automatically shifted.
The experience from Ohme’s UK CrowdFlex participation provides a basis for the Irish trial, while the results from EV Flex could provide ESB Networks with further insight into customer behaviour and the potential role of EV charging in managing peak demand.
FAQs
1. What is the EV Flex trial?
EV Flex is a six-month smart charging trial being launched by ESB Networks and Ohme to examine how EV drivers can support electricity-system flexibility.
2. How much can EV drivers earn?
Participating drivers can earn up to €78 during the six-month trial.
3. How does the smart charging system work?
Drivers are encouraged to keep their EVs plugged in whenever they are parked at home. Ohme’s software can then shift charging sessions to times that better suit the electricity grid.
4. What did Ohme achieve in the UK CrowdFlex trial?
Ohme participated in more than 400 flexibility events, involving up to 20,000 customers per trial, paying participants a combined £750,000 and flexing almost 150 MW of electricity.
Sources: electrive, The EV Report, businessplus.ie
Your financial future isn’t something you wait for—it’s something you build.
The real question is: when do you begin?
Move beyond simply staying informed.
Navigate the markets with clarity—track trends through the Serrari Group Market Index, uncover opportunities in the Serrari Marketplace, and build practical knowledge with our Curated Wealth Builder Platform.
Stay connected to what truly matters.
Get daily insights on macro trends and financial movements across Kenya, Africa, and global markets—delivered through the Serrari Newsletter.
Growth opens doors.
Advance your career through professional programs including ACCA, HESI A2, ATI TEAS 7 , HESI EXIT , NCLEX – RN and NCLEX – PN, Financial Literacy!🌟—designed to move you forward with confidence.
See where money is flowing—clearly and in real time.
Track Money Market Funds, Treasury Bills, Treasury Bonds, Green Bonds, and Fixed Deposits, alongside global and African indexes, key economic indicators, and the evolving Crypto and stablecoin landscape—all within Serrari’s Market Index.
