HOSPITALS, data centres, growers, refrigeration firms and other businesses that produce their own electricity through back-up power generators are being asked to help even out peaks and troughs in the National Grid.

Edinburgh-based Flexitricity is offering £4.5m of contracts to businesses that can help it meet a commitment of providing 260 megawatts of power from October 2018. Companies can earn up to £60,000 per megawatt supplied to the grid.

Businesses are also rewarded for reducing consumption at peak times to ease demand on the grid. National Grid has confirmed it will invest up to £400m a year in demand response by 2020.