# Demand response and vehicle-to-grid

Storing energy by shifting when it is used: smart appliances, pre-cooling and parked EVs.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_demand_flex/

Storage · Electrical and system · No. 94

- Storage
- Duration: Hours
 Storage · Electrical and system · Foundation · Energy

The cheapest grid battery may already be in your garage: parked EVs and smart thermostats can shift power for free.

Chart: Illustration: Demand response and vehicle-to-grid

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

No new store is built: flexibility uses heat and cold held in buildings and water tanks, and the batteries of parked cars, shifting use by 2 to 4 hours.

##### Three things to know

1. Managed heat pump water heaters removed about 90% of the evening peak in a US Northwest study.
2. Only 22 vehicle models can send power back to the grid, under 1.5% of EV models on sale.
3. India has installed about 28% of its sanctioned consumer smart meters (June 2026, calculated), the key to flexible demand.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Price signal**Time-of-day tariff or utility request
2. 2 **Smart control**Meters, thermostats and charging software
3. 3 **Shift load**Pre-cool, heat water, delay charging
4. 4 **Hold**Heat, cold or car battery charge
5. 5 **Peak eased**Fewer gas or coal plants needed
 Covered in [Storing energy: from fuel stocks to batteriesEnergy](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/energy/storing-energy/)

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## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_demand_flex/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_demand_flex/correlation/index.md)
- [Science and technology](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_demand_flex/sg-sci/index.md)
- [Engineering and performance](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_demand_flex/sg-eng/index.md)
- [Economics](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_demand_flex/sg-econ/index.md)
- [Impact and additionality](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_demand_flex/sg-impact/index.md)
- [What to track](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_demand_flex/tracking/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_demand_flex/links/index.md)