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

Sep 16, 2025

Discover how consumer-driven flexibility is essential for a sustainable energy future. Learn about the shift from traditional grids to decentralized models that empower users. Electric vehicles can play a pivotal role in smart energy management, turning everyday appliances into tools for energy savings. Explore the groundbreaking Hornsdale project and its influence on energy storage innovation. With the right policies and technology, consumers can significantly reduce their energy bills while supporting a cleaner grid.

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ANECDOTE

Hornsdale Proved Fast Battery Deployment

Hornsdale began as a high-profile, fast-build battery project following a South Australia blackout.
Tesla deployed a 100 MW, ~129 MWh battery in 100 days and used it to demonstrate rapid software-based bidding.

INSIGHT

Demand Must Carry The Flexibility Burden

Flexibility must shift financial incentives from generation to demand and storage to match abundant renewables.
Electrified sectors (EVs, heat pumps, batteries) create large, shapeable demand pools that reduce curtailment and thermal use.

INSIGHT

Government Targets Underestimate Capacity

Consumer flexibility potential is much larger than government targets like 12 GW by 2030.
Octopus already manages nearly 2 GW of consumer assets and EVs alone imply multi-gigawatt potential.

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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.