DEI Briefing Note: Peak demand and customer flexibility
Overview
Until recently, network management which has focused on the reinforcement of networks to cope with any foreseeable demand scenario. However, the electrification and decarbonisation of UK energy provision are now raising questions about the extent to which networks will continue to be able to serve peak demand this way.
In this briefing note we argue that energy is used through social practices and our analysis shows that some practices are more flexible (and therefore more relevant to the peak demand debates) than others. It summarises the findings of a more detailed paper which reports on the qualitative research conducted with CLNR trial participants to investigate which practices they perform in the peak periods and how flexible these practices are or might be.
