What is demand response?

Demand response (DR) programs reduce electricity use during times of high demand, when the grid is under stress. Think of 4pm to 9pm, when many people come home from work and start using electricity to cook, clean, watch TV, etcetera. During these peak times, cities must often turn to large and expensive power plants to meet demand.

When your battery system is enrolled in a demand response program, it will team up with thousands of others to provide stored energy to the power supply and help stabilize the grid, lowering prices for everyone and preventing outages.

What happens during an event?

Your battery will automatically respond to demand response events – you don't have to adjust anything or authorize its participation. Haven manages the process and ensures that your battery system meets program requirements while maintaining enough capacity to power your home. Most demand response programs have events at most 60 times per year   – and homeowners are usually notified by email or text from their utility company.

Am I helping the environment by participating in a demand response program?

Absolutely. The short answer: your battery reduces our need for natural gas "peaker" plants to meet demand for electricity. You also help maximize excess wind and solar by storing it in your battery. 

"Peaker" plants produce greenhouse gases, which contribute to climate change. They also pollute the air with nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxides, and particulate matter, which has serious negative impacts on our health and the environment.

Home batteries, on the other hand, are mostly charged by rooftop solar, a clean source with close to zero emissions. Switching to battery power during peak demand helps prevent the construction of new gas plants and speeds investment into new solar plants.

Will participating in a demand response program reduce the life of my home battery?

No, your home battery is designed to discharge electricity for thousands of cycles. Your battery's participation in a demand response program requires only a tiny fraction of its overall capability.