Consultation, the key towards a constructive policy for demand-side management

Demand side management (DSM) or integrated resource planning (IRP) attempts to systematise a simultaneous analysis of supply and demand and to examine their various impacts. This analysis requires the assessment of costs incurred and their impact on different types of customers. This evaluation is arduous as it has to be performed in terms of both demand and supply and may vary in time and according to the region considered. At the same time, costs evaluation is to be performed at three levels: international (international trades), governmental (national or regional) and industrial (by sector or by company). It is therefore crucial to position the issue adequately and identify (i) the level of political or economical responsibilities of the decision makers involved in the analysis, (ii) the beneficiaries of the DSM/IRP measures, (iii) the parties incurring the costs involved and (iv) the modalities following which these costs will be shared