Energy Decision # 37 - Demand Response: How C&I Businesses Can Turn Energy Flexibility into Revenue

Demand Response programs are one of the few mechanisms in commercial and industrial energy management that can turn an operational cost into a direct revenue stream — and most C&I operators either don't know they qualify or don't understand what they're signing up for.This is Energy Decision #37 in the complete C&I energy management series from Tactical Energy Group. 100 decisions. Every one that matters.In this episode, Daniel Burke covers:What a Demand Response program actually is and how a DR event unfolds operationally. The difference between event incentives and capacity incentive payments — and how each is calculated. What curtailment physically looks like on your floor: HVAC adjustments, lighting zones, VFD reductions, duty cycling. The full spectrum of DR program obligation levels — from firm commitment programs like BIP to fully voluntary structures like ELRP. How demand response baselines are calculated, why a weather-adjusted baseline matters, and the specific question to ask before enrolling. The aggregator model: when it makes sense to use one and what they actually manage on your behalf. How battery energy storage systems allow 24/7 operations to participate in DR without touching production. The seven decision questions every C&I operator should answer before signing up for any DR program.Who this is for: plant managers, facility directors, superintendents, and finance and operations executives at manufacturers, hospitals, K-12 schools, municipalities, data centers, and commercial real estate facilities who are trying to determine whether Demand Response programs represent a genuine financial opportunity or an operational liability.If you're trying to figure out whether your facility should enroll in a Demand Response program — and what that enrollment actually commits you to — this episode is built for you.Read the full breakdown on Demand Response programs for C&I at tac-nrg.comIf you're an Indiana C&I operator actively evaluating this decision, get your free Energy Decision Blueprint at blueprint.tac-nrg.com.Visit tac-nrg.com for more practical tools and the Energy Decision Blueprint for qualified Indiana C&I operators.0:00 – What is a Demand Response program for C&I?1:30 – How a DR event actually unfolds3:00 – What curtailment looks like on your floor4:30 – Event incentives vs. capacity payments: the payment math6:00 – Program obligation spectrum: firm commitment vs. voluntary7:15 – The baseline trap: how your payment is calculated8:30 – The aggregator question9:30 – Battery storage as a DR participation enabler10:45 – Seven decision questions before you enroll