Electricity is not consumed at a constant rate throughout the day. There are moments when everyone turns everything on at the same time — and that’s when the system feels it. In Brazil, peak hours concentrate this stress and make demand management a key piece of the energy transition.
Talking about demand management is not just talking about the electricity bill. It is about avoiding expensive and polluting power plants, integrating intermittent renewables, and making better use of what already exists.
What demand management is (and what it is not)
Demand management is the set of practices that adjusts when and how much energy is consumed, especially during periods of higher system load. It is not just about reducing consumption, but about shifting it to more favorable times.
It includes everything from simple decisions — such as scheduling equipment — to technical solutions like automation and storage. The focus is to relieve the peak without compromising operations.
Understanding peak hours in Brazil
Peak hours vary by distribution utility, but usually occur in the early evening, when lighting, cooling, and industrial processes coincide. During this period:
- Energy is more expensive for the system - Less efficient sources are brought online - The network’s safety margin decreases
In years of unfavorable hydrology, the impact is even greater, as peak demand can trigger thermal power plants.
Why peak demand weighs on the energy transition
The expansion of solar and wind changes the system’s design. Solar generation drops precisely in the early evening, while demand rises. Without demand management, the result is more thermal dispatch.
Reducing or shifting consumption during peak hours helps to:
- Decrease emissions associated with peak generation - Avoid heavy investments in idle infrastructure - Increase the utilization of existing renewables
Practical demand management strategies
There are paths with different levels of complexity. Some common examples in Brazil:
- Reschedule flexible loads (pumps, compressors, heating) - Stagger equipment startups - Adjust processes to outside peak hours - Use automation for time-based control
Even small changes, when consistent, relieve the system at critical moments.
The role of storage and distributed generation
Batteries and hybrid systems allow energy to be stored outside peak hours and used when the system is under greater pressure. Together with solar, they help smooth the consumption profile.
It is not a universal solution, but it makes sense where peak demand is recurring and predictable.
Impacts for consumers, companies, and the grid
For consumers connected at medium and high voltage, peak hours influence tariffs and contracts. For the grid, they define investments and operational risks.
In practice, well-executed demand management can:
- Reduce local load peaks - Improve supply quality - Facilitate the integration of new renewable sources
Demand management as a habit, not a project
More than a one-off action, managing demand means creating a routine of observation and adjustment. Measuring, understanding critical hours, and testing simple changes usually bring quick learnings.
In the Brazilian energy transition, peak hours stop being just a technical problem and become a space for decision-making. Those who understand this game consume better — and help the system evolve with less friction.
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