The Australian Energy Market Commission on 11 June 2020 published its final rule determination to introduce a new wholesale demand response mechanism into the National Electricity Market (NEM). Under this rule, eligible large consumers will be able to sell a reduction in their load by way of demand response into the NEM from the effective date, 24 October 2021.
On 22 October 2021, the AER published the Wholesale Demand Response Participation Guidelines and Final Decision.
The Guidelines include guidance about information Demand Response Service Providers (DRSP) must keep regarding compliance with their obligations. The Guidelines also include guidance in respect of DRSP obligations in relation to bidding wholesale demand response units when they are baseline non-compliant, or when they will be, or are likely to be, spot price exposed.
Minor, administrative changes were made to these Guidelines in October 2024 to account for the Integrating Energy Storage Systems rule change.