Glossary · Energy and utilities automation
Peak shaving
Also known as: Peak load shaving, Peak load reduction
German: Spitzenlastkappung
In energy management, peak shaving is the reduction of the highest demand peaks drawn from the grid, by temporarily reducing or shifting loads or by supplying power from on-site storage or generation.
- Energy
In one sentence
Peak shaving reduces the highest peaks of grid demand by shifting loads or using on-site storage or generation, often to lower demand charges.
Example
A battery storage system covers short demand peaks when several presses start at once, keeping the 15-minute average below the contracted limit.
How it applies
- Engineering: Peak shaving controllers monitor demand, often as rolling averages over the billing interval, and act before the limit is exceeded.
- Operation: Batteries, generators or flexible loads such as heating, cooling or charging stations are typical resources.
- Economics: Many industrial tariffs include demand charges based on peak power; peak shaving aims to reduce them.
- Documentation: The documentation should describe the control strategy, which loads or sources are used, how operators can override it and how critical processes are protected. Storage systems bring their own safety information, for example on battery hazards and isolation.
Peak shaving vs. load shifting
Peak shaving cuts the top of demand peaks. Load shifting moves energy use to other times, for example to night hours, which can also reduce peaks but mainly targets cost or grid conditions.