Distributed energy resources (DERs) like batteries and electric vehicles could absorb the entire increase in peak demand that U.S. power grids are projecting through 2035, but only if utilities seize the opportunity and engage more closely with customers, management consultants at Deloitte conclude in a report issued last week.
The findings echo a similar study in Ontario in September, 2022, that concluded the province could use DERs to eliminate a projected electricity shortage without resorting to new gas peaker plants.
DERs at the distribution level “are transforming the grid and could help meet rising demand while advancing decarbonization, affordability, and resilience goals,” Deloitte writes. With more than 1,500 gigawatts of new generation, storage, and flexible demand capacity available across the U.S., “household power supply from DER could surpass peak demand by 2035 in a decarbonized scenario.”
Find out more about Deloitte's analysis here.