A Singapore Government Agency WebsiteHow to identify
Official website links end with .gov.sg
Government agencies communicate via .gov.sg websites
(e.g. go.gov.sg/open).Trusted websites
Secure websites use HTTPS
Look for a lock ( )or https:// as an added precaution. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
- About EMA
- Our Energy Story
- Consumer Information
- Regulations & Licences
- News & Events
- Partnerships
eSERVICES
Get quick access to EMA’s services for application of worker licences, scholarships and more.
EMA has implemented demand side management measures to help business consumers optimise their energy usage.
Overview
Demand Side Management (DSM) refers to initiatives and technologies that encourage consumers to optimise their energy use.
Benefits of DSM initiatives:
- Consumers can lower their electricity bills by adjusting when and how much electricity they use.
- At the broader level, the energy system can benefit from the redistribution of energy consumption from peak to non-peak hours.
Demand Response Programme
In a Demand Response (DR) programme, eligible business consumers will voluntarily reduce their electricity usage when wholesale electricity prices are high. In return, they receive a share of the savings from the reduction in wholesale electricity prices.
Commercial sectors, such as those reliant on heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning, show potential for load shifting, while certain industrial processes, like those involving gas production, offer opportunities for rescheduling operations to off-peak times.
Besides receiving financial incentives, participating business consumers also benefit by being able to reduce ‘peaks’ in their electricity usage when prices are typically higher.
In the long term, this reduces the need to invest in expensive power generation units that are run infrequently just to meet peak demand.
Eligibility criteria
- If you are a contestable consumer and can offer to reduce your electricity consumption, you can participate through your electricity retailer or a Demand Response Aggregator.
- You can also participate directly in the National Electricity Market of Singapore (NEMS) if you can offer to reduce your electricity consumption by 0.1 megawatt (MW).
Enabling More Consumers to Participate in DR programme
EMA has enhanced its regulatory framework to allow more consumers to participate in the DR programme. These include businesses consumers with battery energy storage systems (BESS) with nameplate rating below 10 megawatt (MW) who apply to EMA to participate in the programme. They can potentially shift their electricity usage more flexibly from peak to non-peak periods and participate in Demand Response more frequently.
Update as of 20 Feb 2025: EMA has extended the application deadline for using battery energy storage systems (BESS) with a nameplate rating below 10 megawatts (MW) to participate in the DR programme. The new closing date is 31 March 2025, 23:59 hrs (Singapore time).
- The deadline for applications is 28 February 2025, 2359 hrs Singapore time. Please submit your application to the EMA Energy Capabilities Development Department at EMA_ECDD_Demand@ema.gov.sg. EMA will acknowledge receipt of each submission via email. If you do not receive an acknowledgement within two business days, please contact us at the same email.
- Maintaining the lowered compliance threshold of 80% under the DR sandbox arrangement as part of the regular DR programme to recognise the nature of the participating consumers’ business operations.
- Introducing a trial period of up to six months for new participating consumers where they enjoy two penalty waivers for non-compliance for their newly registered facility. This will allow them to gain more familiarity with the programme without incurring penalties from the outset.
EMA is also collaborating with ComfortDelgro via a regulatory sandbox to pilot the participation of their electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the DR programme. This will explore how ComfortDelGro’s network of nearly 1,000 charging stations can adjust charging volumes during DR events, helping to balance demand and supply in the electricity grid.
Interruptible Load Programme
Under this programme, eligible consumers are compensated for being on standby to reduce their electricity demand when necessary to improve system reliability.
Eligibility criteria
If you are a contestable consumer and can offer to reduce your electricity consumption, you can participate through your electricity retailer or a Demand Response Aggregator.
You can also participate directly in the National Electricity Market of Singapore (NEMS) if you can offer to reduce your electricity consumption by at 0.1 megawatt (MW).