Load Growth

Load Growth Doesn’t Have to Drive Up Bills and Pollution

Electricity demand is rising sharply after decades of relatively flat growth in the United States. Data centers, new manufacturing facilities, and the gradual electrification of heating, transportation, and industrial processes are all pushing demand higher.

Unfortunately, rapid buildout of gas generation has become one of the most common responses for maintaining energy supply in the face of load growth. Utilities, however, have historically overestimated future demand scenarios, and there is a risk of stranding new generation, transmission, and distribution assets and leaving ratepayers on the hook for avoidable costs while erasing hard-won climate gains.

ACEEE works to scale demand-side management solutions to meet load growth demands through a combination of research, policy engagement, and technical assistance. ACEEE also engages with decision-makers to advocate for policies that incentivize more cost-effective, low-risk distributed strategies, such as expanding demand response and demand flexibility programs,  over the addition of more expensive and more polluting new fossil assets or unnecessary additional grid infrastructure.