Demand response
Changing when electricity is used to help the system.
A symbolic load profile: the solid line reduces a peak and moves some consumption to a later period. The dashed line shows the original profile.
Demand response changes electricity consumption in response to prices, incentives, or instructions. It can reduce use, move it to another time, or adjust it to support grid operation.
Flexibility on the consumption side
Electricity demand does not always have to be fixed. Some activities can move in time: charging a vehicle, cooling a building in advance, or running a flexible industrial process. Others can briefly reduce consumption.
A demand-response arrangement turns that flexibility into an action prompted by a price, an incentive, or an operating instruction. The timing, duration, and effect on the customer depend on the program.
Why it matters
Changing demand can help manage peaks and operating constraints, alongside changes to generation, storage, and the network.