# Peak Shaving

Also known as: Lastspitzenkappung, Peak load capping

Peak shaving is the targeted capping of load peaks in a site's electricity draw, usually with a battery storage system. The battery discharges when a load peak approaches and thereby reduces the measured maximum power draw, the basis of the demand charge. Swiss grid operators typically measure the highest 15-minute average of the month for this purpose.

Canonical page: https://www.ampere-dynamic.ch/en/knowledge/glossary/peak-shaving/

The goal of peak shaving is not to consume less electricity but to lower the maximum power draw within the billing period. An [energy management system](https://www.ampere-dynamic.ch/en/knowledge/glossary/energiemanagementsystem/) monitors the electricity draw in real time and discharges the battery before the 15-minute average exceeds the defined target value.

For businesses with pronounced load peaks, for example from production start-ups, compressors or charging infrastructure, peak shaving is the economically strongest use case for a commercial battery. The saving follows directly from the reduced [demand charge](https://www.ampere-dynamic.ch/en/knowledge/glossary/leistungspreis/).

How peak shaving works in practice and what businesses save is shown in the article [Peak shaving for commercial operations](https://www.ampere-dynamic.ch/en/knowledge/peak-shaving-businesses/) with the reference project [Kuny AG](https://www.ampere-dynamic.ch/en/references/kuny/).

## Related terms

- [Demand charge](https://www.ampere-dynamic.ch/en/knowledge/glossary/leistungspreis/)
- [Energy management system](https://www.ampere-dynamic.ch/en/knowledge/glossary/energiemanagementsystem/)
- [Self-consumption](https://www.ampere-dynamic.ch/en/knowledge/glossary/eigenverbrauch/)
- [Load profile](https://www.ampere-dynamic.ch/en/knowledge/glossary/lastgang/)