Intelligent Demand: How Consumers Can Support The Grid with Alex Schoch (Octopus Energy)

Sep 16, 2025

Join Alex Schoch, VP of Flexibility and Electrification at Octopus Energy, as he explores the vital role of intelligent demand in our energy future. Delve into how transforming consumer behavior can alleviate strains on the grid, particularly with the rise of electric vehicles and smart tariffs. Learn about innovative strategies that empower households to manage energy costs while embracing renewable technologies. Alex also highlights the potential of data-driven solutions to optimize energy use and promote a decentralized, sustainable energy future.

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ANECDOTE

Hornsdale’s Rapid Start And Proof Point

Alex recounts Hornsdale's origin as a rapid-response project born from a Twitter prompt and a South Australia blackout.
He highlights Hornsdale's 100MW/129MWh initial size and its role as Tesla's auto-bidder proof of concept.

INSIGHT

Shift Incentives To Flexible Demand

Alex argues the system must shift incentives from generation-only to include storage and demand.
He says flexible consumer demand can absorb excess renewables cheaper than curtailment or thermal fallback.

INSIGHT

Roadmap Targets Underestimate Potential

The UK Consumer Flexibility Roadmap set a 12GW target for 2030, which Alex calls conservative.
Octopus already manages nearly 2GW of consumer assets and sees EVs alone offering gigawatts of potential flexibility.

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Traditional power systems were designed to flow one way from centralised transmission assets down to households and businesses. But as electrification accelerates, this old model risks becoming a bottleneck.

The grid faces growing pressure from rising demand, including EVs, heat pumps, industrial loads and variable renewable generation, but these could also be the key to flexibility success. The challenge is clear: how do we meet net zero goals affordably, without locking consumers into higher bills?

In this conversation, Alex Schoch, VP of Flexibility and Electrification at Octopus Energy joins Ed Porter to unpack the critical role of consumer-led flexibility in the net zero transition.

Key topics include:

Why intelligent demand is no longer optional for the energy system and what happens if we ignore it.
What does the shift from a supply-led grid to one shaped by consumers really look like?
How smart tariffs can turn everyday appliances into tools for the energy transition.
How aggregation at scale could rival traditional infrastructure and reshape system operations.
Why flexibility can save consumers money as well as the system billions.

About our guest

Alex Schoch is VP of Flexibility and Electrification at Octopus Energy, where he leads efforts to accelerate the electrification of transport, heating, and industry while integrating consumer demand into power systems. With a background at Tesla launching both EV and energy storage businesses -including the landmark Hornsdale battery project in Australia. Alex brings deep expertise in how technology, markets, and policy intersect to drive the energy transition.

Connect with Alex on LinkedIn

or for more information on what Octopus do, head to their website.

About Modo Energy

Modo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage solutions understand the market - and make the most out of their assets.

All of our interviews are available to watch or listen to on the Modo Energy site. To keep up with all of our latest updates, research, analysis, videos, conversations, data visualizations, live events, and more, follow us on LinkedIn. Check out The Energy Academy, our bite-sized video series breaking down how power markets work.