Demand response in California: Was 2022 a repeat of 2020 or an improvement?
California's heat wave and subsequent grid strain in the summer of 2022 proved the value of demand response while magnifying how untapped the resource is today. A statewide conservation text alert, and a social plea from the governor, resulted in immediate, and crucial, reduction in load, preventing certain rolling blackouts. California implemented changes to DR after the 2020 heat waves, but did those changes have an impact? This panel will bring utilities, regulators, and developers together to, first, identify what's wrong with demand response in California, and what can be done to realize this vast opportunity.