Demand-side flexibility: Quantification of benefits in the EU

New market study shows that a full exploitation of demand side flexibility in 2030 will bring huge annual benefits to EU consumers, and will enable and strengthen EU climate policy.

Hans de Heer at the launch event of the DSF report

On 28 September 2022, DNV publicly presented the outcomes of a major study carried out with smartEn – Smart Energy Europe, to quantify the benefits of demand-side flexibility (DSF) in the EU in 2030. This study aims to fill an important gap as no comprehensive assessment of DSF potential in the EU has ever been carried out up until now.

Among others, the following results were found in a scenario that unleashes the full activation of flexibility from buildings, electric vehicles, and industry in 2030:

  • 37.5 million tonnes can be saved annually in GHG emissions
  • EUR 11.1 - EUR 29.1 bn can be saved annually in distribution grid investments
  • EUR 71 bn would be saved annually by consumers directly
  • 15.5 TWh (61%) would be the avoided renewable curtailment
  • EUR 2.7 bn would be saved annually in avoided peak generation capacity.

As the EU shifts away from the traditional energy system and heads towards a decentralized, digitalized and decarbonized energy system, new and smart solutions are required to manage the ever-increasing variable generation mix whilst maintaining affordability and security of supply. Demand-side flexibility, the ability of customers to change their consumption and generation patterns based on external signals, is a crucial element in achieving these goals.

With the current geopolitical events causing skyrocketing energy prices and supply disruption risks, the need to empower end-users to play an active part in securing and decarbonizing the EU energy system is gaining traction in EU strategies and policies.

However, the activation of consumers’ flexibility still faces regulatory barriers and DSF lacks visibility as a reliable, efficient, and climate-friendly solution because its potential has never been systematically quantified. This results in DSF being a frequently overlooked solution in policy decisions, hindering the realization of its potential in accelerating a cost-efficient clean energy transition.

How to achieve a 55% GHG reduction by 2030
To advance insights on what DSF can mean for the (transition of the) European power system, smartEn – Smart Energy Europe commissioned a study from DNV, aimed at quantitatively assessing the potential benefits of a full deployment of DSF in the EU by the year 2030.This DNV study intends to inform policy decisions on how to achieve a 55% GHG reduction by 2030 in a cost-efficient way for both the whole energy system and consumers.

You can access the full report here.

After-movie launch event
The outcomes of the study were presented during a high-level event organized by smartEn – Smart Energy Europe, featuring insightful panel discussions and engaging conversations in a room full of energy experts, stakeholders from the business world, system operators and representatives of the consumer's perspective, as well as a broad audience of online participants. Take a look at the after movie.