The UK, Europe and the rest of the world are facing an unprecedented energy crisis. The reasons for this have been debated extensively: Putin's illegal war on Ukraine; global demand for natural gas is increasing; Europe is dependent on gas imports; prices are high though we are seeing increased volatility; forecasters predict a harsh winter is on its way; decarbonising the electricity supply remains a priority. In this article, we look at voluntarily managing energy demand.

Energy security is vital for national survival, and one impact of the energy crises has been accelerating the pace of transitioning to renewable energy sources. However, whatever mix of renewables our governments decide on, it will take a significant time to implement those plans. In the interim, lives and livelihoods are at risk. The NHS predicts fuel poverty will result in more than 10,000 premature deaths in the UK.

The so-called three Day Week in 1973/74, when strikes by coal miners and railway workers severely limited electricity generation with the government responding by imposing restrictions on electricity usage; it is a case of once bitten twice shy. We wouldn't want to go there again.

So what can we ordinary people do to help mitigate this impending crisis? A possible approach is voluntary demand management, and to an extent, this is already underway. According to a BBC survey in October 2022, 90% of respondents said they delayed putting on their heating to save on energy bills.

October 2018

While none of us are likely to be in favour of the prospect of the government imposing an energy demand scheme similar to the three-day week, many people appear to favour a voluntary energy demand management scheme that will maintain adequate supplies while minimising potential disruption. Such voluntary schemes are already happening in France and California.

According to a recent survey, 81% of French people favour limiting heating in businesses and public spaces to 19 degrees, while 71% favour similarly limiting heating in homes. Their motivation is to reduce bills and protect energy supplies. A one-degree reduction can reduce energy consumption by as much as 10%. The French government recommends people go even further, limiting heating in bedrooms to 17 degrees and turning off computers and TV's not in use.

The French Government is leading by example and reducing its energy consumption in all public buildings, and shops are being asked to turn the heating down to 17 degrees. They are even switching off the Eiffel tower lights before midnight.
Californians conserve energy to protect public safety

Such altruism extends across the Atlantic too. In California, cooling rather than heating is the problem. During a searing heat wave in September 2022, excessive cooling demand strained the grid almost to breaking point. With a rolling blackout immanent, the California Government texted an alert asking people to "conserve energy now to protect public health and safety." Within half an hour, demand had dropped significantly, contributing enormously to efforts to keep the electricity flowing.

The National Grid, Britain's power and gas executive, is planning to launch a voluntary scheme offering financial incentives to individuals and businesses to reduce energy consumption when supplies are strained. The target reduction is 2 gigawatts, the typical output of two nuclear power stations. As part of the incentive scheme, consumers will be paid a minimum of £10 for operating appliances such as washing machines at night. Such a scheme is only possible for customers with smart meters.

Should voluntary energy management schemes fail to deliver a sufficient reduction in energy demand, the National Grid has warned of the possibility of scheduled blackouts between 4.00 pm and 7.00 pm. Some customers could also be without power for up to three-hour blocks during the day – not a pleasant prospect