Dynamic Demand

EDM number 388 in 2005-06, proposed by Colin Challen on 22/06/2005.

That this House notes that around £80 million a year is spent by National Grid on `response', a control system for handling unpredictable fluctuations in electricity demand; further notes that this is achieved largely by running thermal power plant at variable rates and partly loaded, a practice that reduces the efficiency and leads to additional carbon-dioxide emissions of around two million tonnes a year; further notes that the increasing use of renewables such as wind, solar and wave power will lead to a greater variability of generation; welcomes therefore the formation of the Dynamic Demand campaign to promote the use of very cheap controllers in industrial or domestic refrigerators and other suitable appliances which enable them, whenever acceptable operationally, to switch off during shortages of capacity and on at times when there is surplus capacity on the Grid; and calls on the Government to ensure this technology is widely adopted in order to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions and to facilitate the integration of an increasing proportion of electricity generated from renewable sources.

This motion has been signed by a total of 84 MPs, 2 of these signatures have been withdrawn.