WHAT IS DSR

Demand Side Response

Print Page Content

What is Demand Side Response (DSR)?

The delivery of electricity to consumers, like many other products and services, is influenced by demand and supply factors. Energy Response is focused on the implementation of a range of ‘demand side' measures to make the Electricity Industry more efficient and progressively limit the overall cost of this valuable energy source.

DSR in the electricity market is the response by an electricity consumer to high prices, or other signals such as network congestion. It can be as simple as shifting energy consumption from periods of high cost to periods of lower cost. Energy Response provides the technical expertise and systems necessary to enable businesses to contribute to system security as well as improve their bottom line.

Why do we need DSR?

Customers can no longer take for granted a reliable supply of electricity at low prices, as demand for energy is growing increasingly faster than supply. Inefficiencies are due to the electricity market not providing price signals to consumers. DSR helps to address these inefficiencies in the market.

What can an effective DSR achieve?

Significantly reduce the costs of managing price volatility
Enable the same supply capacity and overall reliability for less capital
Provide reserve, releasing existing generators to provide energy
Improve local supply reliability

DSR Facts

Demand Side Response (DSR) is achieved when power users reduce a portion of their electricity demand from the electricity network in response to a high price or some other event such as an overload.

Energy Response was the first and only DSR aggregator operating in the Australian National Electricity Market and is now a participant in the New Zealand Electricity Market. It registers and co-ordinates responses for a wide range of electricity consumers and amortising the costs to individual consumers.

The Energy Users Association of Australia has independently estimated that with effective DSR strategies in place, the electricity industry and consumers can look forward to around $2 billion in savings per year (or more than 10% off their power bill).

Within a few years, Energy Response's DSR Facility will enable all 8 million Australian electricity consumers to make a choice about modifying their usage in ‘real time'. This will result in more than $2 billion per annum in savings in retail electricity costs, plus reduce greenhouse gases and create a more reliable and secure power supply.