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In this article we touch on some background requirements for demand dispatch and how the Internet can be used for communication and control. In addition, we review some of the basics of the operation of the electric power grid. We show how loads that meet the communication and control requirements can be aggregated and dispatched-turned on or off-to help manage the grid. Aggregated loads will be able to perform many of the same ancillary services for the grid that are provided by power plants today. We describe some benefits of load-based ancillary services, such as the potential for very fast response, and explain how some characteristics of load-based services differ from power plants. Finally, we give a concrete example of demand dispatch as it can be applied to plug-in electric vehicles: smart charging.
Brooks et al. (2010) studied this question.