How can you scale your load management program?

1 Assess your potential

Before you scale your load management program, you need to assess your potential for demand response and load management. This means identifying your load profile, your flexible assets, your operational constraints, and your market opportunities. You can use tools such as smart meters, submeters, energy management systems, or load management software to collect and analyze your data. You can also benchmark your performance against similar facilities or industry standards to identify gaps and opportunities.

2 Define your goals and metrics

Once you have assessed your potential, you need to define your goals and metrics for your load management program. Your goals should be aligned with your business objectives, such as reducing costs, improving reliability, or enhancing sustainability. Your metrics should be measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. For example, you can set metrics such as peak demand reduction, load factor improvement, energy savings, revenue generation, or carbon footprint reduction.

3 Choose your load management strategies

When considering your goals and metrics, you can select from a variety of load management strategies to scale your program. Demand response is one such strategy, which involves participating in programs or markets that offer incentives or payments for reducing or shifting your load during peak periods or grid emergencies. Load shifting is another, which involves shifting your load from peak to off-peak periods through pre-cooling or pre-heating your buildings, rescheduling processes, or using energy storage systems. Load shedding is yet another strategy, which involves reducing your load during peak periods or grid emergencies by dimming lights, adjusting thermostats, or turning off non-essential equipment. Lastly, load leveling is a strategy that entails smoothing your load profile throughout the day with variable speed drives, optimizing equipment efficiency, or demand charge management.

4 Implement your load management program

To implement your load management program, you need to plan, execute, and monitor your actions. This includes developing a detailed plan that specifies your strategies, target load reduction or shift, operational procedures, communication channels, and contingency plans. Execution should follow your schedule and signals such as price signals, grid signals, or weather signals. You must coordinate with staff, customers, vendors, and service providers to ensure safe operation. Lastly, you need to monitor performance and results using data and feedback. This entails tracking metrics, verifying savings or payments, and identifying issues or deviations.

5 Evaluate and improve your load management program

To evaluate and improve your load management program, you need to review, report, and refine your actions. Firstly, you should review your performance and results against your goals and metrics, analyzing data, comparing outcomes, and evaluating strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, you should report your performance and results to stakeholders such as management, customers, regulators, or partners. Lastly, you should refine your program based on the review and report by adjusting strategies, optimizing processes, and implementing best practices. Scaling your load management program can help you achieve greater benefits and impact from energy management efforts; by following these tips and best practices, you can scale effectively and efficiently.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?