Demand Response Program

Program Overview

In 2013, DCAS launched the City's Demand Response (DR) Program to provide city agencies with the ability to earn revenue by reducing their energy usage during periods of peak usage. As part of the energy industry’s increasing use of pricing incentives to add flexibility to energy delivery systems, the revenue from the DR Program is paid by utility companies and New York State’s grid manager. City agencies are able use earned revenue for building improvements and energy efficiency upgrades.

Collectively, the City’s Demand Response Program helps:

• lower emissions
• create energy cost savings by lowering demand charges and generating revenue
• increase the reliability of the grid
• avoid blackouts and brownouts
• reduce the need to run the least efficient, most polluting backup power plants.

Learn more about New York State's Demand Response programs

Learn more about Con Edison's Demand Response (smart usage rewards) programs

Outcomes

From 2013-2021, City agencies earned total program revenues of more than $100 million. In Summer 2021, 517 facilities across 31 agencies and organizations committed to reduce more than 103 MW of load during peak demand periods. That's the equivalent to removing almost 415 mid-size schools from the grid.

See the City of New York's Demand Response progress (Summer 2013-Summer 2021)

How to Participate

DCAS works with partner agency staff third-party vendor NuEnergen to identify City buildings that are suitable for DR. The facilities must have curtailable load and real-time meters with communication capabilities. In some instances, DCAS can work with the relevant utility to facilitate the necessary metering upgrades.

Contact us to check if your facility is suitable for Demand Response

Already enrolled?

Log in to the ENERTRAC web and mobile portal to track your agency's Demand Response participation and set customized user alerts.

Download the ENERTRAC User Guide