10 reasons to participate in Demand Response programs

Electricity grids by their nature have to balance supply and demand in real time to avoid damage and power outages. They must maintain a constant frequency which can be thrown off balance if there is a sudden mismatch between supply and demand.

Demand Response programs pay companies that agree to reduce the amount of energy they draw from the grid in response to signals from the network operator.  For the utility, they are a clean, cost-effective alternative to installing new power plants or bringing capacity held in reserve back online in order to restore the grid’s energy balance.

The benefits of Demand Response can be summed in the following facts:

• Participants can earn money by monetizing flexible energy use
• Obtain lower energy costs by curtailing energy usage at peak times when energy is more expensive
• Increase visibility on energy use, helping reduce consumption
• Protect operations from any sudden disruptions. Demand response participants are notified of grid instability in advance, enabling them to prepare proactively against potential outages 

• Address compliance issues
• Manage market exposure
• Meet renewable energy goals
• Leads to lower overall prices for energy in the long term
• Contribute to a more reliable electricity grid
• Payments can be reinvested into better energy management tools

Our Network Operations Center (NOC) operates the world’s biggest portfolio of Demand Response assets, managing more than 9.4 GW in 16 countries worldwide, and taking part in more than 50 programs around the world. The NOC operates around the clock, seven days a week, all year round. The NOC operates 24/7/365.

With Demand Response, businesses can earn extra revenue and gain competitive advantage.