The International Energy Agency (IEA) in its paper 'China Energy System Transformation', recommends that China's primary aluminium smelters modulate energy consumption to provide the grid with demand side response (DSR) energy flexibility.

The paper, which 'assesses the benefit of optimised operations and advanced flexibility options', sets out the significant operational value that DSR programmes can potentially deliver to a largely decarbonised Chinese power system in 2035.

China is adopting renewable energy generation faster than any other country and since 2017 Chinese policy makers have recognised DSR as a key system flexibility measure.