Bryt Energy gains VTP accreditation for flexibility

Bryt Energy has secured Virtual Trading Party accreditation, allowing it to expand its flexibility optimisation services beyond its own supply customers.

The accreditation means the company can now provide electricity flexibility optimisation to organisations that buy power from other suppliers, extending its reach across the wider industrial and commercial market.

Virtual Trading Parties are certified participants in the wholesale electricity market. They can aggregate multiple flexibility assets into a single portfolio and trade on behalf of other parties, giving businesses another way to adjust electricity consumption in response to market and grid conditions.

For Bryt Energy, this marks a shift from serving only customers on its own electricity supply contracts to working with companies regardless of supplier. That opens access to a larger pool of businesses looking to earn revenue or cut costs by shifting demand.

The development comes as Bryt Energy marks 10 years in business. It also reflects a broader shift in the UK electricity market, as suppliers, aggregators and large power users take on more active roles in balancing the system.

Market access

That market opened up with Balancing and Settlement Code modification P415, which enabled third-party aggregators to enter the wholesale market. Bryt Energy then applied for accreditation through Elexon, with verification by KPMG and review by the Performance Assurance Board.

The process also involved testing to confirm that Bryt Energy could operate under the market rules required of a Virtual Trading Party. This gives it the formal basis to trade aggregated flexibility from businesses outside its retail electricity contracts.

Flexibility optimisation involves adjusting electricity use in line with grid needs. In practice, organisations may reduce, increase or shift consumption at certain times in exchange for financial returns linked to wholesale market conditions or system balancing needs.

As more intermittent renewable generation enters the UK power mix, balancing supply and demand has become more complex. Businesses with flexible loads, on-site assets or the ability to change operating schedules are increasingly being targeted by suppliers and market intermediaries as sources of flexibility.

David Taylor, Strategy and Innovation Director at Bryt Energy, said: "We are proud to have earned our accreditation as a VTP, clearly demonstrating the expanding capabilities of our in-house optimisation desk team and services. It also reflects our commitment to adapting to the needs of organisations across the UK by developing pioneering products and services, empowering them to be more engaged, dynamic and intelligent with their electricity usage. We look forward to continuing to work alongside businesses in supporting and benefiting from the energy transition."

Broader role

Bryt Energy is part of the Statkraft Group and describes itself as a renewable electricity supplier and flexibility optimiser for British businesses. The new accreditation gives it a more direct role in the wholesale electricity market at a time when the boundary between supply, trading and demand-side participation is shifting.

This is particularly significant for industrial and commercial users, many of which have sought ways to manage high and volatile energy costs. Access to flexibility markets can create an additional income stream or improve overall electricity purchasing economics, depending on how much control a business has over its demand profile.

The accreditation supports Bryt Energy's longer-term effort to broaden its offering as the energy system changes. By separating flexibility services from supply contracts, the company can compete for customers that may not want to switch electricity supplier but are still interested in participating in the market through demand management.

Ian Brothwell, Managing Director at Bryt Energy, said: "As the UK transitions to a decarbonised energy system, the role of the electricity supplier is evolving alongside it. Our own role has matured over the last 10 years. As we strive to deliver our purpose, we are now looking ahead to the future of our industry to expand our offerings. We are already an established renewable electricity supplier and, as a flexibility optimiser, we are also able to support customers to unlock additional financial benefits by using their electricity more intelligently and sustainably.

Our VTP accreditation is an important part of our long-term vision, and we are eager to use it to help as many businesses as possible navigate and benefit from the energy transition."