Energy Systems Catapult published its response to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) consultation on the Smart Secure Electricity Systems (SSES) Programme first phase energy smart appliances regulations on 13 February 20261. The independent organisation set out its position on how appliances that can be controlled remotely, and the load control they enable, should be regulated1.
The response argues that smart appliances and load control are central to a secure, flexible and Net Zero electricity system, and that the rules around them need to be clear, adaptable and proportionate1. Energy Systems Catapult said:
"Smart appliances and load control are essential to a secure, flexible, and Net Zero electricity system, and must be supported by clear, adaptable definitions, proportionate and risk-based regulation that enables small and innovative providers, and strong consumer protections, while early flexibility markets are treated as learning environments with phased, iterative implementation."
On definitions, the organisation said clear and adaptable definitions that can evolve with new technologies are critical to reduce regulatory uncertainty and support innovation1. On cost, it said regulation must be proportionate and risk-based, and that high fixed compliance costs risk excluding smaller and innovative providers1. It therefore supports graduated or threshold-based requirements that scale with customer numbers, controllable load and system impact, alongside lighter-touch approaches for low-risk actors1. It added that phased and iterative implementation, aligned with recognised standards, will support evidence-based, innovation-friendly regulation1.
On consumer protection, Energy Systems Catapult said transparency, consent, user control, safety and fair exit must be guaranteed, with attention to enabling participation from small and innovative market participants1. It also said early flexibility markets should be treated as learning environments, with requirements reviewed and refined over time1.
The consultation itself was run by DESNZ, the department responsible for home energy policy1. The response document does not set out the number of respondents, the closing date of the consultation, or the government's intended timetable for the regulations; those details have not been reported in the material published by Energy Systems Catapult1.
Why it matters for households
Energy smart appliances are devices such as heat pumps, electric vehicle chargers, batteries and some white goods that can be told when to draw power, shifting demand away from peak periods. The rules being consulted on will shape what those devices must do, how they communicate, and what protections apply when a household agrees to let a third party control its load. For a home's energy independence, the practical questions are how much control a household keeps, how easily it can withdraw from an arrangement, and whether the appliances it buys will keep working as standards change. Energy Systems Catapult's emphasis on adaptable definitions and fair exit points to those concerns, while its warning on fixed compliance costs suggests the range of products and services on offer could narrow if smaller providers are priced out1.
What happens next
No timetable for the next stage of the SSES Programme, or for the government's response to the consultation, is given in the published response1. Energy Systems Catapult's full consultation response is available to download from its site, subject to a request form1.
Sources1 cited
- Response to DESNZ consultation on Smart Secure Electricity Systems, es.catapult.org.uk