You're unlikely to earn much money - getting involved is more about playing your part in keeping national carbon emissions low. We've got details of what you'll get from each participating energy company below.
The dates haven't been announced yet. You'll need to be registered for the scheme and have a smart meter sending half-hourly readings to take part.
Whether or not you're part of the scheme, try our to find out how you can reduce your energy use.What is the Demand Flexibility Service?
The scheme, run by the National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO), is a working test of our abilities to slightly alter our energy use in accordance with how much is available to the National Grid at any given time.
It's designed to make sure that the amount of electricity being taken out of the system balances with what's going into it.
When demand is higher than supply - for example, when there's a sudden big spike in electricity use - the National Grid quickly generates top-up electricity by firing up a coal power station or burning more gas.
But if enough energy customers can shift their use away from these spikes, it makes it less likely that fossil fuel generators will be needed.
The Demand Flexibility Service is designed to test out our capacity for making these adjustments based on energy supply and demand. If successful, it may be used as a model in the future as we head towards a lower carbon energy grid.
If you choose to take part in the scheme you'll be rewarded for every unit of electricity your household doesn't use during the hour, compared with how much you would otherwise have used at that time.
A range of energy companies have signed up to the scheme this winter, as well as some third party apps. What you'll get back will depend on which company you're registered with - we've got the details on each one below.
Six hour-long events are planned across November and December 2023 with six more to come in January and February 2024. There might be other, longer, events if they are needed.
How to take part in this winter's energy saving scheme
You'll need a smart meter to take part. You'll also need to have agreed to it sending meter readings every half hour.
This is so that your energy supplier can tell how much electricity you have used during each hour-long event.
Then you'll need to sign up with your energy provider to be included in the scheme. You can do that now, even before dates for the scheme have been announced.
Not all energy suppliers are taking part. If yours isn't on the list below, there are a few third party energy saving apps through which you can join in, including Ivie, Hugo and Loop.
Once you're signed up, you'll get an email or text in advance of an energy-saving hour letting you know when it will be.
You'll usually need to opt-in at least 30 minutes before each event starts. You don't have to take part in each event even if you sign up. There's no penalty if you're not able to participate.
Don't have a smart meter yet? Here's .How much money could I earn?
You're unlikely to earn much. Last year, over half of those who took part received between £1 and £5, according to a report from the Centre of Sustainable Energy.
It's not a money making scheme - it's better to think of it as a community effort to reduce electricity use and therefore carbon emissions at peak times, and trial out a more flexible approach to using electricity from the National Grid.
Which energy companies are taking part?
All of the biggest energy providers are running schemes this winter. Customers earn the rewards by reducing their energy use during the specific times set by National Grid ESO.
Energy firms have different names for their schemes, different benefits and the criteria to join can vary too. You can only sign up to one.
Once you're signed up, you'll get an email or text from your provider letting you know in advance of when the hour-long sessions are going to be.
British GasEDF EnergyEon Next100 GreenOctopus Energy'sOutfox the Market Ovo Energy'sScottish PowerShell Energy's Utilita'sIf your energy supplier isn't offering a scheme, or you'd prefer to choose another one, there are several schemes from third parties. You can only sign up once; if you sign up to one of these, you can't join your provider's scheme also.
Equiwatt's Hugo Ivie'sLoopUSwitch'sWhen are the energy saving sessions?
National Grid ESO decides the times and days its Demand Flexibility Service runs. They are most likely to be on weekday evenings, when energy use peaks, it has said.
If you sign up to the scheme, you'll get a message to tell you when the next session will be.
But you won't get much notice; typically less than 24 hours. Some of the sessions will be announced on the same day that they run.
We'll update this story when we hear when the first session will be.
On the whole, electrical items such as TVs, phone chargers and laptops (and lights as long as they are low-energy bulbs) don't use much electricity so you won't save much by turning them off. The best savings will be found if you avoid using energy-guzzling white goods, such as tumble dryers, dishwashers and washing machines, during the saving sessions.
Or for more energy saving tips and tricks, head to our guide tosource https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/heres-how-to-get-rewards-for-using-less-electricity-during-peak-hour-sessions-this-winter-am6tu2m6tRaM