Imperial convenes UK–India workshop on demand flexibility and power system analytics

Imperial College London brought together researchers, regulators and industry from the UK and India to examine how demand flexibility can support power systems with high shares of renewable energy.

Imperial hosted a two-day UK–India workshop on Demand Flexibility and Power System Analytics on 17–18 November at its South Kensington campus. Sponsored by the Hitachi-Imperial Centre for Decarbonisation and Natural Climate Solutions, the event was organised in collaboration with IIT Bombay and MP Ensystems Advisory Pvt Ltd, and focused on regulatory, market and data-driven approaches to renewable integration.

UK-India perspectives on power system transition

The workshop created space for direct exchange between UK and Indian regulators and industry on how demand flexibility works in practice, and where existing market and regulatory approaches are falling short.

This workshop exemplifies Imperial’s School of Convergence Science approach, addressing electrification and demand flexibility as a coupled system spanning technology, data, markets, policy and behaviour, with a focus on delivering and testing solutions under real-world conditions Dr Mirabelle Muûls Co-Director of the Hitachi-Imperial Centre for Decarbonisation and Natural Climate Solutions and Co-Director of Imperial’s School of Convergence Science

Dr Mirabelle Muûls, Co-Director of the Hitachi-Imperial Centre for Decarbonisation and Natural Climate Solutions and Co-Director of Imperial’s School of Convergence Science, said "This workshop exemplifies Imperial’s School of Convergence Science approach, addressing electrification and demand flexibility as a coupled system spanning technology, data, markets, policy and behaviour, with a focus on delivering and testing solutions under real-world conditions.”

Representatives from India’s Central Electricity Regulatory Commission and the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero joined the discussions, alongside academics and  industry contributors from NESO, UK Power Networks, Frontier Economics, Infosys Consulting and Octopus Energy.

Market evolution and regulatory challenges

The workshop centred on demand flexibility as a critical enabler of electrification, alongside the evolution of power markets and the challenge of integrating renewables, transmission and storage at scale.

Participants compared the UK and Indian electricity systems to understand how flexibility, markets and regulation can support reliable, low-carbon power under very different conditions. Discussions explored the UK’s transition, the role of market mechanisms in reducing renewable costs, and exposure to fuel price volatility, alongside India’s ambition to reach 500 GW of renewable capacity by 2030 and the system reforms required to support it.

Professor Richard Green outlined recent and proposed reforms to the UK electricity market, highlighting how market design and flexibility can support system reliability as renewables scale. Speakers discussed the technical and operational challenges of integrating large volumes of renewable energy into India’s power system, highlighting the role of demand flexibility in supporting real-time operation. Researchers and partners of the EPICS programme shared insights into the implications for grid development and system stability.

Regulators from several Indian states shared practical perspectives on implementing demand flexibility in real systems, emphasising the importance of financially resilient utilities, consumer participation, data availability and pilot programmes before large-scale rollout. Contributions from the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, and state commissions including Karnataka, Maharashtra and West Bengal, highlighted how regulatory sandboxes and sustained cross-sector engagement can accelerate learning while managing risk.

Further detail on the regulatory discussions, analytical priorities and proposed next steps is available in this report which captures the perspectives of the regulatory commissions and outlines areas for continued UK–India collaboration on demand flexibility and power system reform.

Building long-term collaboration

The programme also explored how data science and digital tools can support demand flexibility and power market design, with contributions from Infosys Consulting, GridDuck and EV.Energy. Participants visited Imperial’s Data Science Observatory and the Hitachi Digital Demonstrator, highlighting practical tools for power system analytics and decision-making.

Professor Suryanarayana Doolla (IIT Bombay) highlighted the value of convergence, noting that the workshop “brought together academia, industry and policymakers to support sustained collaboration and capacity building for demand flexibility in India.” Dr Mahesh Patankar, Founder and Managing Director of MP Ensystems Advisory, emphasised the role of data-driven implementation, saying the partnership focused on “connecting demand- and supply-side perspectives through regulatory engagement and practical, data-led insights.”

The workshop concluded with agreement to develop a joint research agenda, establish regulatory sandboxes and technology testbeds, and explore a UK–India Flexibility and Energy Security Forum to support coordinated experimentation and policy alignment.