Communication services and data model for demand response

Demand response (DR) is becoming an integral part of the modern power distribution systems. By partially reducing the consumption level or shifting it from peak hours to off-peak hours, DR can function as a tool for the utility to respond to shortage of supply for a short duration of time. It helps stabilize the electricity market, postpone capacity expansion projects for building new power generation units, and can potentially lead to mutual financial benefits for the utility as well as the customers. DR is one of the enablers of the Smart Grid paradigm as it promotes the interaction and responsiveness of the customers and changes the grid from a vertically integrated structure to one that is also affected by the behavior of the demand side. Essential to successful implementation of demand response is an efficient communication infrastructure capable of providing a secure two-way data exchange means between the utility and the customers. The focus of this paper is on the communication services and data models that are needed for realization of DR at the residential and commercial levels. The proposed model is platform independent, promoting interoperability as one of the key operational requirements of demand response implementation.