'Smooth electricity demand peaks for cheaper bills’ - expert
21 October 2026
The Energy Security and Net Zero Committee has published its report on government efforts to tackle the various costs that make up UK energy bills.
Professor Jacopo Torriti, Professor of Energy Economics and Policy at the University of Reading, contributed to the Committee’s evidence gathering. Professor Torriti argued:
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Flexibility benefits everyone: Households with flexible technology, such as electric cars that can feed power back to the grid, gain directly, and the whole system becomes cheaper to run.
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Using more can help too: Flexibility means using extra electricity when wind and solar are plentiful, not just cutting use at busy times.
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Electric car charging can be moved: Charging at quieter times reduces pressure on the grid at peak hours.
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Heat pumps can be automated: Heating can run at different times without leaving homes any colder.
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Tariffs already exist: Some energy companies offer deals that reward households for shifting their use.
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Hydrogen has a small role: It may help, but is unlikely to be a major solution.
Professor Jacopo Torriti said: “This report shows how the huge spikes in energy costs that are playing havoc with household and business bills are not only about how much electricity we generate, but also about when we use it.
“One answer would be to store more energy in reserves of fossil fuels, but this still leaves our economy, and our household budgets, at the mercy of global markets for long-term supply.
“Part of the solution is already under our eyes. Shifting demand away from expensive peaks and towards periods of abundant renewable generation can reduce pressure on the system and avoid unnecessary costs. We need to build this into the grid so that everyone can benefit.”
For interviews with Professor Jacopo Torriti, contact the University of Reading Press Office on 0118 378 5757 or pressoffice@reading.ac.uk
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