Save Money
Reduce energy bills by adjusting energy use.
Make Money
Earn revenue through intelligent use of energy.
Businesses can get involved in demand side services through an aggregator, supplier or other third party. By taking this route, you’ll receive tailored advice about which products – or combination of products – will suit your business best. For a list of aggregators, suppliers and third parties, visit National Grid’s demand side web pages.
Below is a simple overview of the opportunities that exist today, along with details of where you can find out more.
How you'll save money
Avoiding high distribution costs
Shift consumption to avoid the periods of highest distribution network cost (DUoS: Distribution Use of System), often referred to as ‘red zones’.
Talk to your supplier, aggregator or third party to find out more.
Avoiding high transmission costs
Reduce consumption at periods where peak winter national demand is forecast, in order to proportionally reduce the transmission network charge (TNUoS: Transmission Network Use of System).
Talk to your supplier, aggregator or third party to find out more.
How you'll make money
Balancing services: reserve
National Grid buys these services from businesses that can increase, decrease or shift their electricity consumption within a response time of up to four hours.
Visit National Grid’s reserve markets webpage to find out more.
Balancing services: frequency response
National Grid buys these services from businesses that can automatically adjust their electricity consumption with up to 30 seconds notice.
Visit National Grid’s frequency response webpage to find out more.
Capacity market
This is the market mechanism introduced by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and run by National Grid. Through a series of auctions, it aims to make sure there’s enough spare energy capacity in the system.
The capacity market suits businesses that can reduce or shift their energy use when demand is higher than available generation, with up to four hours’ notice.
Visit the EMR Delivery Body website to find out more.
Renewable portfolio balancing
Some suppliers offer opportunities for you to earn money by taking part in services that help them balance their renewable portfolio.
Talk to your supplier, aggregator or third party to find out more.
Trials
Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) are running local trials for DSR. These provide opportunities for businesses to make money – and shape the services of tomorrow.
Talk to your regional DNO to find out more.
For a list of aggregators, suppliers and third parties, visit National Grid’s demand side web pages.
Useful Downloads
Download the Short Guide
Our short guide provides a clear picture of the benefits of getting involved in demand side response (DSR). It’s also a great way of highlighting all the financial and environmental benefits to other decision makers in your organisation.
Download the full DSR guide
The Major Energy User’s Council (MEUC) have produced a very comprehensive DSR guide that provides all the information companies will need to be able to profit from DSR.
Download our DSR product map
This two-page product map summarises all the products that are available now, and provides details of who you can talk to for more information.