Demand Response in Smart Grids: Research Opportunities for the IS Discipline

Information systems are going to play a key role in making today’s electricity grids smarter and, in this way, will enable the energy turnaround from fossil to renewable energy sources. One of the approaches to cope with the intermittent feed-in of renewable energy is demand response, i.e. the demand side responds to requirements and price signals from the electricity grid. As yet, the supply side still largely responds to the demand by trying to generate the electricity that is currently needed. Since the huge coordination task of demand response in smart grids strictly requires information systems, this contribution analyzes existing information systems (IS) research contributions on this subject. Subsequently, we identify underrepresented areas by comparing our findings with the research of related disciplines and research projects funded by the European Union (EU). Finally, we discuss selected open issues and conclude by illustrating what the identified white spots mean for the smart grid’s success and provide guidance for future IS research and development.