Demand response in China: Regulations, pilot projects and recommendations – A review

Abstract

With the acceleration of the process of industrialization and urbanization, energy shortage and environmental protection have become the new problems faced by Chinese economic development. The electric power industry is the pillar industry of Chinese economic development. While the economic development puts forward higher requirements for electricity companies, power enterprises should not only focus on the quantity and quality of the power generation side, but also pay more attention to demand side management. Demand side management (DSM) receives more and more attention in China in recent years. As one of the solutions of DSM, demand response plays an important role in ensuring the stable operation of electric network and controlling the rise of electricity tariff. At first, this article describes the status quo of the demand response implementation, related technologies, and pilot projects. Then, it analyzes Chinese demand response technology frame from the grid side, the communication side and the user side. It also puts forward suggestions for the implementing progress and specific procedures of orderly electricity consumption. At last, this paper points out the problems in the technology and policy of electricity demand response implementation in China by the analysis of the demand response status quo and the implementing comparison between China and foreign countries, as well as gives recommendations for future development.