In November 2022, Energy Local Bethesda members took part in a scheme to test the potential of Demand Side Response (DSR) to help manage constraints on the network. A huge thank you to everyone who got involved in the Turn Down scheme.
What is DSR?
Demand Side Response (DSR) is a means of encouraging efficient use of the electricity network. Usually in DSR, big electricity users are incentivised to ‘Turn down’ at times when demand for electricity is high, in order to reduce bottlenecks in the electricity network. The aim is to smooth out the peaks in demand and to use generation locally in order to reduce the power flows across the network.
Normally, DSR involves contracts with big power users – industry and large companies or with particular assets such as battery storage. We wanted to see if, by collectively ‘powering down’ at certain times, ELB members could reduce the demand on the power network in a measurable way.
What we learned at a glance:
The data not only showed that the Turn Downs had a measurable impact, but also that Energy Local Bethesda members were already using electricity very efficiently.
- On Turn Down days, there was a detectable shift away from
consumption between 4pm and 8pm - The Tuesday and Sunday Turn Downs showed shifts of more than 10% away from peak times.
- Even before the Turn Down, the Club has been doing an effective job of shifting demand away from peak times, and making use of the cheaper rates in the TOUT.
Thanks to everyone's efforts, we were able to donate £100 to the food bank and Elusen Ogwen.
Read the full survey report here.
What are the benefits
Like Energy Local, DSR encourages consumers to make better use of alternative energy sources. This particular approach with SPEN helps reduce strain on the network which in turn reduces costly upgrades and allows us to connect more renewables and low carbon technologies such as electric vehicles and heat pumps.