World Energy Café: Market design: Powering The Future How Demand-Side Flexibility Can Transform Energy Systems

World Energy Café: Market design: Powering the Future: How Demand-Side Flexibility Can Transform Energy Systems

On Tuesday, 25 March 202,5 9:30 AM - 10:45 AM (UK)

The rapid expansion of renewable energy has put significant pressure on grid capacity, creating bottlenecks that pose challenges to the energy transition in many regions. Demand-side flexibility is emerging as a game-changer, driven by the electrification of demand, powered by electric vehicles, heat pumps, energy storage, and other innovative solutions.

By engaging cross-sectoral and cross-regional experts, we aim to explore the challenges and opportunities of implementing demand-side flexibility, which can help reduce grid costs, enhance resilience, improve consumer experiences, and more.

To secure your spot, please reach out to your regional manager for the meeting details.

The World Energy Café conversation is exclusively open to members across our community – Member Committees and their members, Future Energy Leaders, Start-ups, experts and Standing Committee members.

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Meeting outcome:

This vital conversation brought together diverse perspectives, highlighting shared challenges and opportunities to build a more sustainable and resilient energy future.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the session:

• Flexibility is now a critical enabler, not a nice-to-have, in the energy transitions.
• Demand-side flexibility (DSF) remains underdeveloped despite strong technical potential.
• Shared pain points exist across diverse markets: unclear value, regulatory gaps, and low engagement.
• AI, digitalisation, and co-created market mechanisms are key to scaling.
• Behavioural change and energy literacy are as important as tech innovation.

We are delighted to share a summary of the discussions, now available HERE.

The conversation touched on several of these important topics, but the opportunity for deeper exchange and strategic learning, particularly on concrete, on-the-ground initiatives in different countries, remains open. We look forward to taking this forward at World Energy Congress, World Energy Week, and other upcoming gatherings.