Peak demand

Competition is helping the nation’s organized markets weather this summer’s peak electricity demands as heat waves gripped much of the country. Both private investment and innovative demand response technology, two of the most distinct benefits of competitive markets supported by the transparent price signals markets provide, have kept the lights on in spite new power-demand records.
 

Two groups this week underscored the need for consumer access to real-time dynamic electricity pricing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money on their bills. On Monday, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) released a white paper strongly advocating that “residential electricity prices must be based on time of use” to fully enable smart grid technology. Yesterday, multiple high-tech companies and advocacy groups issued a statement at the United Nations-sponsored climate change negotiations in Copenhagen (COP15) urging world governments to ensure consumers see real-time energy use data to improve energy efficiency and cut greenhouse gas emissions.