About the Game
More and more energy consumers are able to generate their own electricity thanks to the availability of cheaper renewable energy technologies such as solar panels. At the moment, they have to sell energy that they don’t use to the grid at a quarter of the price they buy it for. Peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading is a new approach in which people would sell electricity directly to their neighbours. Sellers get more, and buyers save compared to buying from the grid.
Our Story
As part of the EPSRC funded P2P-IoET project, researchers at the UCL Energy Institute developed a board game to show how peer-to-peer energy trading would take place within a community. After a series of test runs with internal staff, the ‘Peer-to-Peer Energy Trading Game’ was first presented to the public at the Manchester Science Festival on 24 October. Since then it been played by a range of stakeholders, including the UK energy regulator and energy consumer association.
Easy-to-print DIY available now!
Online version available now!
You can choose out of three different versions or play them all!
How does it work
Version 1
Super Saver
Make the most money, by selling as much energy as possible and buying as little as possible, while still meeting all your energy demand.
Version 2
Powerful Personalities
Version 3
Collective Consumption
Follow us on twitter!
#WattsTheDeal going global 🌎 playing our #P2P energy trading game with students from @UniversidadEIA in #Medellín. Lots of interesting discussions including developing a Latin American version, definitely worth a thought! pic.twitter.com/vxg66og17F
— Anna Gorbatcheva (@AnnaGorbatcheva) October 4, 2021
Now @annagorbatcheva is telling us about @UCL_Energy's innovative and user-friendly peer-to-peer energy trading board game #WattstheDeal? Find out more at https://t.co/4TB4Yc8mr5 - they've created an online edition! #CEconf20 #CEF2020 pic.twitter.com/61N6sASbkj
— Community Energy England (@Comm1nrg) June 29, 2020
Are you in community energy/industry/teaching/etc looking for new ways to start discussions on fair low-carbon futures? We're running an intro/play-in session for online energy trading game #WattsTheDeal, 23 June @CEFortnight. Please share and sign up! https://t.co/beoKUTrAUb pic.twitter.com/zVJUilt26G
— Mike Fell (@mikefsway) June 5, 2020
Do you want to explore #P2P energy trading? Looking for activities to (virtually) get together and discuss low-carbon energy futures?
— PETRAS National Centre of Excellence (@PETRASiot) May 7, 2020
The team have developed a boardgame! #WattsTheDealhttps://t.co/WPCeierUTK
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Board game + energy systems + big arguments = Power Grid!! The best energy nerd board game ever ... oh and try out #WattsTheDeal too @mikefsway pic.twitter.com/AE47SUVBrh
— James Davies (@jdd_davies) March 30, 2020
We hope this might be a fun/useful thing to do for those who are homeschooling. To accompany it we have made a start on a learning/discussion doc with some ideas on maths and energy. We aren't teachers, so if you have other suggestions please let us know! https://t.co/z2HNQ9gBp5 https://t.co/rBHFZd0ofr
— Mike Fell (@mikefsway) March 31, 2020
The online version of #WattsTheDeal is now available here https://t.co/Za15Tylmf4. Give it a try if you are looking for low-carbon energy transition-related excuses to get together (virtually)☀️🔋☕️🍷 It is work-in-progress so any feedback appreciated! @LexScn @AnnaGorbatcheva
— Mike Fell (@mikefsway) April 1, 2020
Great night playing the new 'Watt's the deal?' game developed by UCL at Wadebridge Board Games Club. They get it! pic.twitter.com/VTjdKxugVa
— WREN (@WRENuk) March 11, 2020
Read about our exciting project on #P2P energy trading in #Colombia with @energeia_col @EPMestamosahi and @ErcoEnergia https://t.co/P6TqCgBGK2
— Alexandra Schneiders (@LexScn) October 7, 2019
Getting the @UCL_Energy MSc Smart Energy and the Built Environment off to a start today with P2P energy trading game #WattsTheDeal. In person and (just about) online - challenging but fun to run! pic.twitter.com/VfVAouJARv
— Mike Fell (@mikefsway) September 28, 2021
Simulating energy trading the old fashioned way with the #WattsTheDeal board game ... now maybe @gridsingularity can help add AI trading strategies? pic.twitter.com/5LRa19mO94
— Colin Andrews (@colin_rews) June 23, 2020
Aaannnnd last but not least,@mikefsway & @LexScn discuss the development of the #WattsTheDeal boardgame and how games allow researchers to generate deeper understanding + more impactful research projects.
— PETRAS National Centre of Excellence (@PETRASiot) May 7, 2020
Article out today in @NatureEnergyJnl https://t.co/cMnuNj7cd1
5/5 pic.twitter.com/L3cHgpGny2
Want to use games to engage people in your research? Great piece published by @mikefsway and @LexScn on their experience when developing the P2P energy trading game #WattstheDeal https://t.co/6VDg6zN1jn
— Anna Gorbatcheva (@AnnaGorbatcheva) May 7, 2020
The online version of #WattsTheDeal is now available here https://t.co/Za15Tylmf4. Give it a try if you are looking for low-carbon energy transition-related excuses to get together (virtually)☀️🔋☕️🍷 It is work-in-progress so any feedback appreciated! @LexScn @AnnaGorbatcheva
— Mike Fell (@mikefsway) April 1, 2020
This is how it looks -- it is played in Google Slides at the moment, which seemed the easiest platform to allow online collaboration. Working on another slightly slicker platform too! pic.twitter.com/ySCKwzwvm9
— Mike Fell (@mikefsway) April 1, 2020
We have been fast-tracking a basic online version of #WattsTheDeal, the energy board game, and are looking for testers. If you know 4-12 people who would be interested in setting up a video chat test, please reply! @LexScn @AnnaGorbatcheva Background: https://t.co/vu0X2RTSoJ
— Mike Fell (@mikefsway) March 26, 2020
The team here in Brussels had fun yesterday testing out the #WattsTheDeal P2P energy trading game.
— REScoop EU (@REScoopEU) February 28, 2020
We learnt a lot about engaging citizens and gave our recommendations on how to include more cooperative elements.
(It also turns out some of us are sore losers) pic.twitter.com/AF54vonRjy
Was reminded our energy trading game #WattsTheDeal could be useful for remote teaching. We've used it to support Masters, UG and sixth form discussion around general social/technical energy issues. Free online and print-at-home versions https://t.co/vu0X2RTSoJ. Please share! 1/3
— Mike Fell (@mikefsway) October 7, 2020
Reminder to join us Tue 23 June for an intro to P2P energy (online) board game #WattsTheDeal. Please do share with anyone you think could be interested in using it in teaching (school or uni), planning, engagement, research, or even just for fun. Sign up: https://t.co/a9IxOOL7Md
— Mike Fell (@mikefsway) June 17, 2020
Playing #WattsTheDeal the P2P energy trading game at the launch event of #GOP2P first time testing our new design. You can download your DIY version at https://t.co/MvH7HkLP1a https://t.co/MDFFwk9YPy
— Anna Gorbatcheva (@AnnaGorbatcheva) September 2, 2019
In #WattsTheDeal, players take the role of households who have to meet their daily electricity demand using power from solar panels, batteries, + trading with other players + the grid.
— PETRAS National Centre of Excellence (@PETRASiot) May 7, 2020
Read more here: https://t.co/iGn555EYIo @CREDS_UK
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Here is a brief overview of the current options for playing #WattsTheDeal, the energy trading game @LexScn @AnnaGorbatcheva @CharloJohnson https://t.co/SAxduQcEfd
— Mike Fell (@mikefsway) April 8, 2020
For the quarantine time, we have designed an easy-to-print version of #WattsTheDeal for all the energy geeks out there to play! It takes a bit of time cutting out the different pieces ✂️ (a nice way to keep the kids busy for a while...) https://t.co/LTpVyFtzEn @mikefsway @LexScn pic.twitter.com/qYLf0LVj6f
— Anna Gorbatcheva (@AnnaGorbatcheva) March 31, 2020
Pleased to say @LexScn @AnnaGorbatcheva @CharloJohnson and me got funding from @BartlettUCL to develop #WattsTheDeal our P2P energy board game! We will work with @CamdenCouncil @Comm1nrg @NewAngliaEnergy @REScoopEU @WRENuk on: pic.twitter.com/trVHIfvaBL
— Mike Fell (@mikefsway) November 21, 2019
It’s a pleasure being in Medellin, getting to know this dynamic city and having many interesting meetings as well as Masterclass with @energeia_col @EPMestamosahi and @ErcoEnergia on #P2P energy trading (during which we played our board game #Wattsthedeal)! @UCL_Energy pic.twitter.com/Kc4bGzXn26
— Alexandra Schneiders (@LexScn) August 9, 2019