Practical guide to peak shaving

Peak shaving reduces the strain on the grid and can bring substantial savings for consumers. Start s(h)aving today with our guide.

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Executive summary

Shave peaks. Lower costs.

Peak shaving refers to a reduction in the power drawn from the grid to keep the load below a given maximum.

Peak shaving is financially motivated as grid operators charge grid fees based on the highest recorded load in a given time period.

Peak shaving facilitates significant savings without forcing users to compromise on comfort.

Two paths – one goal

Generally speaking there are two ways to shave peaks: Demand and supply side management. These approaches may be employed individually or in combination to reduce peak loads.

Violation of the limit of the grid connection point

Managing the demand side

To shave peaks on the demand side, the power consumption is simply capped to respect the threshold by shutting down/limiting large consumers eg. EV charging.

Temporary reduction of electricity demand

Managing the supply side

To shave peaks on the supply side, onsite electricity sources, such as generators or batteries, are employed to cover the demand that exceeds the limit.

Temporary supply of electricity from local sources