New Brattle Report Finds Utilities Can Grow Demand-Side Capacity by 60% with “Demand Stack” Approach

In a new report prepared for Uplight, Brattle energy experts demonstrate how utilities can significantly increase demand-side resource capability to address growing load, tightening reserve margins, and rising system costs.

The report, The Demand Stack: An Assessment of the Benefits, shows how demand-side resources can evolve beyond standalone programs into dependable, planning-grade capacity that supports grid reliability in the near term while laying the groundwork for deeper customer participation and long-term system flexibility.

The study found that a representative Midwest utility could grow its flexible demand-side capacity from 146 MW to 235 MW by 2030 – a 60% increase – by deploying a coordinated “Demand Stack” approach that combines demand response, energy efficiency, and time-of-use (TOU) rates to address system needs.

The report evaluates six behavioral and operational Demand Stack strategies designed to increase customer participation, improve portfolio performance, and enable greater demand-side resource utilization across more hours throughout the year. Key findings include:

• 90 MW of additional peak reduction capability, increasing demand-side contribution from 3% to 5% of system peak demand by 2030
• Expanded dispatchable capacity across more hours of the year
• Baseload system value from energy efficiency measures that reduce overall demand while supporting electrification and load growth
• Stronger customer participation, with enrollment-focused strategies contributing over 50 MW of incremental capability

The analysis underscores the growing importance of customer-centric engagement strategies – including simplified enrollment, personalized outreach, and integrated program experiences – in transforming demand-side participation into dependable system value.

The Demand Stack: An Assessment of the Benefits was authored by Principal Ryan Hledik, Energy Associate Kate Peters, Senior Energy Analyst Sophie Edelman, and Energy Analyst Julie Yoon. The full report is available on Uplight’s website.