Top 10: Demand Response Management Systems
Demand response management systems are used to support the balance of energy supply and demand.
The systems can help to improve grid reliability, lower costs, support renewable integration and reduce environmental impacts.
Energy Digital has ranked 10 of the top companies providing demand response management solutions.
10. Johnson Controls
CEO: Joakim Weidemanis
Founded: 1885
Headquarters: Wisconsin, US
Through Johnson Controls’ Grid Connect platform, the company enables customers to reduce and move consumption out of peak electricity demand periods to times where prices and usage is lower.
It also provides financial rewards to participants that are willing to drop a portion of their loads when the electricity grid reaches emergency conditions.
Johnson Controls says that it also includes strategies to shift the use of light or heavy machinery to off peak times and provides real time visibility and analytics of energy use.
9. Oracle
CEO: Safra Catz
Founded: 1977
Headquarters: Texas, US
Oracle's flexible demand product Opower supports the engagement of customers with personalised communications that encourage a shift in energy use to more affordable periods.
This technology not only benefits Oracle’s customers, but helps to reduce peak load on grids.
Through reporting on home energy usage, the platform provides insights to customers with recommendations on how to optimise energy savings.
8. Emerson Electric
CEO: Lal Karsanbhai
Founded: 1890
Headquarters: Missouri, US
Emerson Electric provides power monitoring for its customers, enabling complete energy management.
This service allows customers to enhance power and energy metres and use metre level data to model energy performance, providing valuable operational insights.
Alongside the service, Emerson provides financial incentives that aim to conserve energy by reducing power usage during times when the demand on the power grids is high.
7. ENGIE
CEO: Catherine MacGregor
Founded: 2008
Headquarters: Paris, France
ENGIE says that it provides customers with tailored solutions to maximise opportunities from price fluctuations and renewable generation surpluses.
The company says that it works with system operators in order to maintain a stable and efficient grid.
“ENGIE is among the first mover on demand-side flexibility management, offering consumers and customers the opportunity to leverage their flexibility, whether through load shedding, consumption shifting or ancillary services.” says Matthieu Besson, Department Manager at ENGIE R&I.
6. E.ON
CEO: Leonhard Birnbaum
Founded: 2000
Headquarters: Essen, Germany
E.ON says that it provides building and energy management that enables the delivery of smarter buildings that can work harder for customers.
The use of smart buildings can increase energy efficiency and aims to provide energy, carbon and cost savings.
If customers choose to add on demand side response to their package, E.ON will support them in selling excess energy back to the grid and reducing peak energy demand.
5. GE Vernova
CEO: Scott Strazik
Founded: 2024
Headquarters: Massachusetts, United States
GE Vernova says its GridOS DERMS addresses the challenges that are arising due to the growth of DER integration.
The software aims to simplify electrical complexities, unlock techno-economic optimisation and resolve grid violations.
Mahesh Sudhakaran, General Manager, Grid Software at GE Vernova, says: “As utilities face greater challenges in delivering reliable, resilient and secure energy, our mission is to simplify the management of the vast and distributed energy resources, both behind and in front of the meter, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and grid reliability.
“In tandem, we’re adapting to the evolving energy demands globally to support utilities.”
4. ABB
CEO: Morten Wierod
Founded: 1988
Headquarters: Zürich, Switzerland
ABB offers OPTIMAX for Virtual Power Plants. This technology allows for the integration of decentralised generation, flexible loads and DERs.
The technology offers real time operation, intra-day optimisation, forecasting and reporting.
ABB says this will control costs for customers and allow them to meet regulatory requirements and maximise revenue through trading of surplus energy.
The system also aims to scale to accommodate further DERs to support the expansion in new markets.
3. Honeywell
CEO: Vimal Kapur
Founded: 1906
Headquarters: North Carolina, United States
Honeywell announced a partnership with SECO Energy providing its Forge Performance+ for utilities, supporting the organisation to automate and modernise its grid assets.
The technology uses advanced analytics to enhance operational insights and support the balance of loads on the distribution system.
“By integrating Honeywell's industrial expertise with SparkMeter's capabilities, we are helping SECO Energy to proactively manage grid operations with advanced analytics,” said Amol Motivala, President of Honeywell Smart Energy.
“By bringing insights to the forefront, this solution enables utilities to maximise existing asset performance while planning critical investments.”
2. Schneider Electric
CEO: Olivier Blum
Founded: 1836
Headquarters: Rueil-Malmaison, France
Schneider Electric uses a Grid to Prosumer approach, aiming to provide end-to-end integrated solutions for DER management.
The approach optimises DER across energy market needs, grid constraint requirements and prosumer priorities, with the end goal to advance digital transformation, coordinate DER management and eliminate silos.
Integrated DER management enables grid optimisation, flexibility services and prosumer engagement.
One part of its approach is EcoStruxure DERMS which has a IEEE 2030.5 CSIP Certification. This allows DERs to connect to smart inverters such as solar panel installations, battery energy storage systems and electric vehicle chargers.
Vladan Krsman, Chief Technology Officer for Digital Grid Software at Schneider Electric, says: “IEEE 2030.5 certification is one more step that confirms our commitment to continuous innovation for evolving regulations, standards and technologies.
“Schneider Electric will continue to deliver the futureproof solutions supporting the clean energy transition journey of our partner utilities.”
1. Siemens
CEO: Roland Busch
Founded: 1847
Headquarters: Munich, Germany
Siemens has partnered with EnergyHub, combining its DERMS platform with turnkey programme management with the aim to improve DER flexibility.
These solutions combined can support the move to a scalable end-to-end next generation DER management solution.
Utilities can be provided with more DER visibility, forecasting and management. This aims to enable better planning, operation and maintenance of grids.
“Knowing about DER contributions to our power grids is very important to shift loads to periods when there is less stress on the grid,” says Sabine Erlinghagen, CEO of Grid Software at Siemens.
“Siemens and EnergyHub will be strategically cooperating on complementary portfolio elements for a next generation DER management by combining Siemens’ network expertise with EnergyHub’s proven grid-edge capabilities.
“This partnership will enable utilities to reach net-zero by leveraging DERs as a non-wire alternative solution such as investments in hardware.
“Ultimately, this will enable utilities to unlock unprecedented levels of DER flexibility and resilience of the power grid."
