Thematic session: Flexible grids for electrification

Event background

In today’s context of energy market volatility and economic uncertainty, energy efficiency remains essential for affordability, energy security and competitiveness. The 11th Annual Global Conference on Energy Efficiency will bring together global leaders to accelerate action, with digital and flexible power systems playing a key role in addressing current energy challenges.

Power systems are undergoing rapid transformation as electricity demand rises from electrification, data centres and cooling needs, while growing shares of variable renewable energy increase system complexity. These trends are placing increasing pressure on grids and require new approaches to ensure reliability and resilience.

Demand-side flexibility and digitalisation are emerging as key solutions to address these challenges. By enabling consumers to adjust their electricity use in response to system conditions, flexibility can reduce peak demand, integrate renewables and defer costly infrastructure investments. Digital technologies play a critical role in enabling this transformation by allowing real-time monitoring, aggregation and control of distributed energy resources.

While progress is underway, deployment remains uneven. Regulatory frameworks, market designs and investment in grid modernisation are not yet keeping pace with the rapid evolution of power systems, particularly in emerging and developing economies. The challenge for policymakers is therefore to create the enabling conditions that allow demand-side flexibility and digital solutions to scale effectively.

This thematic session will reflect the messaging of the IEA 3DEN policy brief and will provides a platform to explore how countries can unlock these opportunities and build more resilient, efficient and flexible power systems. Participants will learn from international experience, explore policy and investment solutions, and engage with key stakeholders to identify actionable pathways for accelerating progress.