New Research: State of Flexible Load Management

The State of Flexible Load Management report, based on a survey of 105 U.S. energy professionals published April 15, 2026, shows flexible load has shifted from a future strategy to an operational necessity: 82% call it critical now. The study highlights acute pressure from data centers—59% report strain on generation capacity—and an intended near-term emphasis on demand response, with 63% prioritizing data center enrollment over the next 3–5 years. At the same time 70% point to cost and implementation complexity as the main barriers to scaling, and respondents say optimism about managing rising demand hinges on access to controllable load. The report concludes organizations are funded and willing but need lower-risk, lower-cost, proven solutions to bridge the execution gap.