[danielweber]

For each person that load-shifts, it slightly reduces the payoff for the next person to load-shift.

In the UK, the peak demand is already in the evening[1], because solar has eaten the cheap lunch during the day (which it was supposed to do, but it means that each additional solar panel is going to have a harder job paying for itself). And the demand difference between low and high is about 30GW to 40GW.

[1] http://www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk/

[geoffharcourt]

Great point about marginal benefits of load shifting. I do think we're so far from that reduction being significant at this point that it's worth attempting.

I believe peak demand in most non-industrial areas is already evening, because residential areas tend to have less efficient energy use than commercial spaces due to density, and everyone is home at the same time, often doing energy intensive tasks such as cooking, using the A/C, opening the fridge. I heard from someone at a power company that advertisements during the Super Bowl are a major issue, because everyone opens their fridge and flushes the toilet at the same time, and power supply has to spike for 3 minutes and then return to normal.