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This report by Ember analyzes the challenge of solar and wind energy curtailment in Chile, where renewable generation has grown rapidly but is hindered by limited transmission and storage capacity. It proposes a phased package of policy and technical measures—including battery storage, dynamic line rating, and demand response markets—to reduce waste and maximize the potential of Chile's clean energy resources over the next five years.

This policy brief by Ember analyzes the challenge of renewable energy curtailment (vertimientos) in Chile, where solar and wind generation have grown rapidly but are hindered by transmission bottlenecks and a lack of system flexibility. The document proposes a 'Clean Flexibility Kit' of short, medium, and long-term measures—including battery storage, dynamic line rating, and demand response markets—to maximize the use of clean energy and reduce economic losses for investors.

This policy brief by Ember analyses the implementation of the Ministry of Power's Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Amendment Rules, 2023, which introduces solar-hour time of day (ToD) tariffs for domestic consumers in India starting April 1, 2025. The paper examines how these tariffs, designed to align electricity demand with solar generation, affect different consumer profiles and highlights the critical need for smart meter infrastructure to enable successful deployment.

This report by RMI examines the potential for demand-side flexibility (DSF) within China's industrial sector to support the integration of renewable energy and the development of a zero-carbon power system.

This report by RMI examines the potential for air conditioner (AC)-based demand response programs in Haryana, India, to manage peak electricity loads driven by rising temperatures and urbanization. It argues that such programs can reduce the need for expensive power purchase contracts and grid infrastructure investments while improving power reliability.

This report evaluates the operational feasibility and reliability of California achieving an accelerated interim target of 85% clean electricity by 2030. Using production cost modeling (PLEXOS) and capacity expansion modeling (RESOLVE), the study stress-tests three resource portfolios—Base Case, Diverse Clean Resources, and High Electrification—against various stressors including extreme weather, gas and coal retirements, and import constraints. The findings indicate that an 85% clean target is reliably achievable, provided there is sufficient battery storage and a strategic retention of some natural gas capacity or access to regional imports.

This white paper proposes a Performance Incentive Mechanism (PIM) to encourage utilities to prioritize peak load reduction over capital-intensive infrastructure expansion. The author recommends using an outcome-oriented metric—specifically percentage reduction in peak load—and a sloped, symmetrical compensation structure with upper and lower caps to align utility incentives with system efficiency and customer value.

This report by Energy Innovation examines the necessity of grid flexibility to integrate increasing shares of variable renewable energy. It details short-term operational improvements, long-term planning strategies, and various physical and market-based resources—such as demand response and energy storage—that can balance supply and demand dynamically.

This briefing by RMI argues that concerns regarding the economic limitations of wind and solar growth—specifically the 'merit order effect' where variable renewables depress wholesale prices—are based on static models that ignore supply-side evolution, demand flexibility, and storage technologies.

This research paper examines different ownership and operation models for distributed energy resources (DERs), evaluating utility-centric, third-party-centric, and customer-centric approaches. Through various case studies, the author argues that any of these models can optimize the electricity system if they prioritize fair compensation, transparency, and adaptability to new technologies.

This executive summary from the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) analyzes the economic potential of "demand flexibility" (DF)—the use of technology to shift electricity consumption to lower-cost times. The report argues that DF can significantly reduce both customer electric bills and overall grid investment costs by treating demand as a flexible resource ("flexiwatts") rather than a static load.

The report introduces the 'electricity system value chain' framework, designed to help technology providers and system designers identify and capture value within the complex, non-linear network of the modern electricity grid. It moves beyond linear value chains to a system-based approach that integrates electrical, communications, and organizational layers to align compensation with the actual value provided by emerging technologies, such as distributed energy resources.

This briefing by Energy Innovation describes two distinct applications of demand-response (DR) programs: as a capacity resource to mitigate peak demand and as a balancing tool to integrate variable renewable energy. The document argues that DR is a cost-effective alternative to building new power generation or investing in expensive grid-scale battery storage.

This fact sheet from Energy Innovation outlines how data center electricity demand can be made flexible through workload shifting, operational reductions, and the use of backup power or storage to minimize the need for new fossil fuel generation and grid infrastructure.

This report details a project led by WattTime.org and RMI to catalyze the market for Automated Emissions Reduction (AER), a software-based technology that modulates the electricity consumption of internet-connected devices based on real-time grid emissions data. The project included a pilot deployment in Chicago and a stakeholder workshop (charrette) to identify value propositions and scaling strategies for residential and institutional customers, utilities, and policymakers.

This fact sheet outlines the data sources and methodology used by RMI to estimate peak demand capacity and savings from various energy efficiency, grid technology, and repowering solutions by 2030.