Ohme and ESB Networks are launching EV Flex, a six-month domestic energy flexibility trial in the Republic of Ireland that will pay participating EV drivers up to €78 (approximately $90) for plugging in at home. The trial runs for six months from mid-August and is led by ESB Networks, with Cork-based Ohme supplying the charging software and technology. ESB Networks describes it as the Republic of Ireland’s largest domestic energy flexibility study.
Highlights
- Six-month trial running from mid-August, led by ESB Networks with Ohme’s charging platform
- Up to €78 (about $90) available per participating driver over the trial period
- Largest domestic energy flexibility study in the Republic of Ireland, according to the partners
- CrowdFlex precedent: more than 400 flexibility events and 20,000 customers per trial in the UK
How the EV Flex Trial Works
The trial asks participating drivers to plug in their vehicles whenever they are parked at home, rather than only when a charge is needed. That behavior gives the distribution network a larger pool of controllable load to draw on, and Ohme’s dynamic charging software shifts the timing of those sessions automatically. Drivers earn rewards for taking part.
The premise is that more frequent plug-in events translate into flexible capacity the grid can call on at peak. Ohme says drivers who participate are contributing to energy flexibility services and earning rewards as a result.
What ESB Networks Expects to Learn
David Watson, Ohme CEO, framed the trial as a test of whether customer engagement is the limiting factor in domestic flexibility.
“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 Watson.
“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.”
Aisling Walsh, Customer and Strategy Manager at ESB Networks, positioned EV Flex alongside the utility’s existing demand-side programs.
“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,” Walsh said.
“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.”
What the CrowdFlex Results Showed
Ohme’s Irish deployment follows its role in the UK’s largest home energy flexibility trial, CrowdFlex, which ran from May 2024 until September 2025 across more than 400 flexibility events. Ohme scaled to 20,000 customers per trial, paid participants a combined £750,000 (approximately $1.01 million), and flexed close to 150 MW of electricity.
Those figures give ESB Networks a benchmark for what a comparable Irish program might deliver, though the EV Flex trial is structured on a six-month timeline rather than the multi-year run CrowdFlex received.
Ohme’s Irish Market Position
Ohme’s standing in the Irish home charging market rests substantially on automaker distribution. The company is the official charger provider for Ford, Suzuki and the Volkswagen Group in Ireland, and describes itself as the country’s largest and fastest-growing home EV charging company.
