Executive Summary. British Columbia is in a period of rapidly rising electricity demand. Without effective action, this growth will place greater pressure on the electricity system and contribute to higher energy costs for customers. Load management technologies such as smart thermostats, batteries, and load controllers manage when and how households consume electricity, benefiting utilities through greater grid stability and lower system costs. They can also help households reduce electricity bills, avoid costly service upgrades, and unlock electrification benefits of improved health, safety, affordability, and comfort. However, these shared benefits of load management will not be maximized or distributed equitably through technology deployment alone. The demand reduction potential of load management cannot be fully realized unless home retrofit programs and electricity ...
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