Irish EV drivers to be paid for electricity flexibility trial

What are the tests about?

Ever since the early days of the electric car revolution, way back in 2010, it was posited that the batteries of electric vehicles could be used, effectively, as sponges for electricity generated at low-demand times of day, and then called on at peak demand time so that the national grid can be more easily balanced, reducing the strain of providing electricity when everyone comes home and puts on the kettle, the cooker and the washing machine.

Does it work?

It should do, and that’s what this new series of tests, being worked on by Ohme and the ESB, are all about. Ohme’s smart chargers can charge your car or use the energy in your battery to supply your home, or the wider national grid, and of course the ESB itself has control of that grid. “Electricity flexibility services could potentially help save consumers money in energy costs and this trial aims to demonstrate that customer engagement is essential in generating more flexibility and helping the system meet peak demand, reducing costs and carbon emissions for everyone,” said David Watson, Ohme’s CEO.

“Our participation in similar trials in the UK have shown that Ohme can play a crucial role in domestic flexibility by engaging customers. We've demonstrated that our customers will shift their plug-in behaviour when needed, delivering significant flexible capacity through dynamic automated charging.”

How big were the UK trials?

Pretty big. Ohme was involved in the Crowdflex trial between May 2024 and September 2025, which saw 400 ‘flexibility events’ using up to 150 megawatts of power, involving 20,000 electric car users, who shared a payout of £750,000 between them,

Hang on - you can get paid for this?

Yes. If you have an Ohme home charger, and you sign up for the tests, you could earn up to €78 for yourself. And all you have to do is plug in and let Ohme and ESB do the rest.

Aisling Walsh, Customer and Strategy Manager, ESB Networks, said: "We’re delighted to partner with Ohme on the EV Flex trial as we continue to explore new ways to make flexibility simple, accessible and rewarding for customers. Alongside initiatives such as ‘Is This a Good Time?’ and other flexibility programmes, this trial will provide valuable insight into how EV drivers engage with smart charging and flexible electricity use.

“Working with innovative partners like Ohme allows us to better understand customer behaviours and preferences, helping to inform the future development of flexibility services that support Ireland’s transition to a cleaner, more resilient electricity system.”