Study on the Design of a Swiss Demand-Side Electricity Reserve published

In response to the 2022 energy crisis and the resulting heightened sensitivity regarding security of supply, Switzerland decided to introduce a demand-side electricity reserve as a complement to its existing hydraulic and thermal reserves. In summer 2025, Parliament approved the implementation of such a demand reserve, intended to strengthen demand-side flexibility by requiring large consumers—against remuneration determined through a tender procedure—to reduce their electricity consumption once day-ahead market prices exceed a predefined threshold.

Against this backdrop, Consentec, together with the ZHAW Center for Energy and Environment, prepared a study outlining a detailed and implementation-ready design for the Swiss demand-side electricity reserve.