Commercial & Industrial Demand Response
Earn Incentives All Year Long with Demand Response
Our Demand Response Program rewards your business each season for reducing energy use on high-demand days. Participate throughout the year to get up to four incentive payouts.
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What is Demand Response?
When you join the Demand Response Program, your business can earn bill credits or a check payment for committing to reduce energy use on Event Days. Event Days are when electricity demand is at its highest.
The more you commit to reducing, the more you earn. An Energy Solutions Manager (ESM) will work with you to see how much energy you could potentially reduce and ensure your success on Event Days. And – if a season passes with no Event Days, you will still earn credits just for joining.
Taking part in Demand Response helps keep energy reliable and affordable for your community. Be a part of something bigger by helping build a cleaner, more sustainable energy future for Michigan.
What Do I Earn?
Your business will earn money for each kilowatt you pledge to reduce, even if a season passes with no Event Days. On top of that, you’ll earn more money for each kilowatt you actually reduce during Event Days. At the end of each season, you can receive your incentives in the form of a bill credit or a check.
Depending on the seasons you participate, your incentives can start at $8 or $20 per kilowatt you pledge to reduce should an Event Day be called.
In 2023, Demand Response participants earned $7,383,419 in incentives.
All About Event Days
When Do Event Days Occur?
An Event Day is called when energy use is unusually high and there is strain on the grid. This is typically the result of extreme weather.
Event Days only occur between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays, excluding holidays.
You can choose to participate across multiple seasons throughout the year, including:
- Summer: June - August
- Fall: September - November
- Winter: December - February
- Spring: March - May
No more than 3 or 5 Event Days can be called depending on the season.
Event Timeline
Before Event Day
You’ll be assigned an Energy Solutions Manager who will work with you to create a custom Energy Reduction Plan (ERP). This plan will help you balance energy savings with effective operations.
On Event Day
If an Event Day occurs, you will be notified about when to activate your ERP and when you can resume normal operations.
If your business pledges to save more than 100kW, you will be able to track real-time performance to make sure you’re hitting your energy reduction goals.
After Event Day
When an Event concludes, you will get a detailed report on your energy reduction performance.
Any money you earned during the Event will be added to your total and sent via your preferred payment method at the end of the season.
Frequently Asked Questions
An Event Day is when electricity demand is at its highest and there is strain on the energy grid. By calling for a reduction in energy use on Event Days, we can help keep energy affordable and reliable for your community.
Event Days only occur between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays, excluding holidays.
The number of potential Event Days varies by season, with no more than 3 Events in fall and spring and no more than 5 Events in summer and winter.
If no Event Days are called in a season, you will still receive an incentive for agreeing to participate in the program. Your incentive is based on the number of kilowatts you agree to reduce when enrolling.
Incentives for the program vary by season. By taking part in Demand Response, you can earn:
- Summer - $20 per kilowatt pledged
- Fall, Winter, Spring - $8 per kilowatt pledged
- An additional $0.45 per kilowatt for any extra kilowatt reductions you make on Event Day
You can also earn more by committing to a multi-year contract when you sign up for the program.
When your large sized business reduces energy use, you can make a big difference for Michigan’s future. Here are some of the large industries that participate in the Demand Response program:
- Healthcare
- Recycling
- Education
- Food
- Processing
- Manufacturing
- Grocery
- Refrigerated Storage
- Retail
And more…
Many businesses can lower energy use without interrupting a normal workday. Here are some simple ways to cut down on use:
- Using your generator to help offset load
- Turning down heating & cooling in non-essential work areas
- Adjusting your thermostat 2 – 4 degrees
- Turning off lights in areas with plenty of natural light
- Unplugging computers and equipment that’s not in use
Why Should I Join?
Earn Financial Incentives
In 2022, Demand Response participants earned over $6.7 million in incentives. And that was just for shifting when they use energy.
Improving Decarbonization
During an Event, Michigan businesses on average shift a total of 200MW of load. This is about the output of one power plant! As you can imagine, one less power plant makes a huge impact on Michigan’s environment.
Meet Your Goals to Be More Sustainable
Show your customers, shareholders and investors that you’re committed to being more sustainable – all while earning money for your business.
Be a Part of Something Bigger
Join like-minded businesses in creating something bigger – a clean energy future for Michigan.
Get Started Today
There are a limited number of openings available each year. Don’t miss your chance to join. Fill out the form below and an Energy Solutions Manager will reach out to you within two business days.