Consumer Preferences Report Shows Growing Interest in DERs
December 16, 2021
Ontario electricity users are starting to see the benefits of investing in technologies that can help manage their consumption – and their costs. New research commissioned by the IESO shows that already one-third of all Ontario electricity consumers are using some form of technology that enables them to control their energy use in ways that can save money and help meet system needs.
These technologies include solar panels, electric vehicles (EVs) and charging systems, load control devices, smart appliances and other household devices, heat pumps, microgrids and more. To inform its decision-making about how best to integrate these resources and prepare for changing energy use patterns, the IESO conducted a broad-based survey of consumer electricity preferences and behaviours.
There is growing interest in distributed energy resources, with some consumers saying they intend to adopt one or more new technologies in the next few years. In addition to meeting local needs, these resources also have the potential to contribute to the reliability of the system as a whole.
The full report is available on the IESO’s Innovation web page.