-> Power grids are facing major challenges: the demand for electricity increases, demand management, however, is insufficient. A growing share of renewable energy should be incorporated into the system. -> Load management (demand response) is part of the solution: because of smoothing of load peaks as well as real-time, local consumption of supplied renewable power, efficiency can be increased in the power grid. -> Technologies for so-called demand-side load management are seen as key instruments for the electricity grids of the future.