FlexDash

FlexDash Methodology

Overview

This document describes the methodology used to calculate flexibility metrics for the ADE Flexibility Dashboard.

Data Collection

Data Sources

Data is collected from:

• Energy Suppliers: Customer flexibility portfolios (domestic)
• Aggregators: Flexibility service providers (domestic and I&C)
• DSOs: Network flexibility events and contracts
• NESO: National system operator data

Data Template

Contributors submit data using the standardised ADE Data Template V1.2, which includes:

1. Metadata Sheet: Organisation details, submission date, coverage period
2. Asset Portfolio Sheet: Flexible asset inventory with capacity and counts
3. Flexibility Events Sheet: Historical flexibility dispatches
4. Service Participation Sheet: Registered services and delivered volumes

Metric Definitions

Total Available Capacity (MW)

The sum of all registered flexible capacity across the portfolio:

Total Available = Σ (Asset Capacity × Asset Count)

Where:

• Asset Capacity = Rated capacity of individual asset type (MW)
• Asset Count = Number of assets of that type

Total Delivered Capacity (MW)

The sum of flexibility actually dispatched during the study period:

Total Delivered = Σ (Event Capacity × Event Duration / Study Period Hours)

Delivery Factor (%)

The ratio of delivered to available capacity:

Delivery Factor = (Total Delivered / Total Available) × 100

Aggregation Methodology

Sector Classification

Assets are classified into two sectors:

Domestic

• Electric Vehicle Chargers
• Heat Pumps
• Home Battery Storage
• Smart Hot Water
• Wet Appliances

Industrial & Commercial (I&C)

• Cold Storage
• Water Treatment
• Manufacturing Processes
• Commercial HVAC
• Commercial Battery Storage
• Backup Generation
• EV Fleet Charging

Geographic Aggregation

Data is aggregated to DNO/DSO region level. Site-level data is never published.

Temporal Aggregation

Data is aggregated to annual totals for Phase 1. Monthly breakdowns will be available in future releases when data permits.

Statistical Treatment

Missing Data

Missing values are handled as follows:

• Required fields: Submission flagged for follow-up
• Optional fields: Excluded from calculations for that metric
• Partial submissions: Included with completeness score

Outlier Detection

Values outside plausible ranges are flagged:

• Capacity: 0 - 10,000 MW per submission
• Counts: 0 - 10,000,000 assets
• Duration: 0 - 8,760 hours (1 year)

Outliers are reviewed manually before inclusion.

Rounding

All published values are rounded to reduce precision:

• Capacity: Nearest 10 MW
• Energy: Nearest 10 MWh
• Counts: Nearest 10
• Percentages: Nearest 1%

Disclosure Control

See DATA_GOVERNANCE.md for full disclosure control methodology.

Key parameters:

• k-anonymity threshold: 3 contributors
• Dominance threshold: Top 2 < 85%
• Geographic maximum: DNO region level

Limitations

Data Coverage

• Not all flexibility providers contribute data
• Voluntary participation may introduce selection bias
• Historical data completeness varies by contributor

Methodology Constraints

• Asset classification may vary between contributors
• Capacity definitions may differ (e.g., nameplate vs. available)
• Double-counting possible where assets serve multiple markets

Future Improvements

Planned methodology enhancements:

• Temporal profiles (hourly/half-hourly)
• Regional breakdowns (where data permits)
• Service-specific analysis
• Trend analysis across multiple study periods

Version History

Version	Date	Changes
1.0	2025-01-27	Initial methodology

References

• ADE Methodology v7 (internal document)
• Ofgem Flexibility Market Guidance
• BEIS Flexibility Statistics