Net zero, no problem: the tech unlocking greener homes

The UK is on a mission to build thousands of net zero homes – but there’s a major roadblock standing in the way.

Achieving net zero requires a massive shift away from fossil fuels and towards electric alternatives, yet the UK’s energy grid simply wasn’t built to handle that increased demand from things like heat pumps and EV chargers.

Right now, grid constraints are one of the factors stalling that progress, as without expensive investment in more and more network cables and substations the local grid would not be able to meet the power needs of these future communities. Without an alternative solution, the UK risks falling behind on its sustainability goals. That’s where Dynamix comes in.

Dynamix is designed to make homes smarter, greener and more efficient. It’s not just another technology platform, it’s a solution for a world where the two-way flow of energy to and from connected technology like heat pumps, solar panels and EV chargers is becoming the norm.

Smarter homes, stronger grids

Dynamix’s clever energy management solution is designed to ease pressure on the grid while ensuring homes can be powered in a more sustainable way. Its intelligent system reduces electricity demand spikes (or ‘peak loads’) by actively managing on-site power consumption and generation – in effect, sharing power between neighbouring buildings before exporting to or importing from the local grid. Doing that ensures we can make the most of the locally-produced renewable energy without overburdening the grid.

The result? We can install low-carbon tech like solar panels and EV chargers without developers needing to finance those costly grid upgrades.

For new housing developments, this is transformative. Without Dynamix, excess electricity generated by solar panels would be blocked from entering the grid or would require extensive – and expensive – grid upgrades to cope with it all. But with Dynamix, homeowners can export excess energy, sign up for the Smart Export Guarantee, and even receive payments for the electricity they supply to others.

But how do you take this concept and turn it into something real?

The answer lies in the West Midlands market town of Wednesbury… and Canada.

On one side of the Atlantic, E.ON’s Product Assurance team (who typically manage smart meter and EV charging technology) collaborated with our Lighting and Grid experts in Wednesbury to build a test rig to assess this new tech – EV chargers, modems, solar inverters – piece by piece. Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Canada, the team from Corinex – the world leaders in delivering grid resilience through broadband over power lines (BPL) technology – logged in to remotely monitor and control the system.

Two teams. One mission – proving distance was no barrier! The test provided a success, showing the true potential of what we could achieve if we implemented this innovative tech across the UK.

What’s next?

The scale – and potential – is massive.

Dynamix isn’t just about solving today’s challenges, it’s about creating smarter energy systems from the outset; connecting homes, grids, and people in ways we’ve never seen before. Without it, excess electricity generated by solar panels might be blocked from entering the grid. With it, the energy transition becomes more accessible – empowering homeowners, grids, and communities alike.

So here we are. From Wednesbury to Canada, we’ve built more than a test rig. We’ve built a foundation for the future.