What is grid-edge orchestration?

Grid-edge orchestration is the continuous, automated coordination of many small energy resources at the end of the power grid, such as heat pumps, building batteries, PV systems and electric vehicles. The goal is to use their combined flexibility to support the grid and the market, while the owners keep their comfort and their own priorities.

What is the "grid edge"?

The grid edge is the part of the electricity system where the grid meets the customer. It includes the low-voltage distribution grid and everything connected behind the meter: rooftop PV, heat pumps, home and building batteries, EV chargers, smart meters and building controls.

A 2017 report by the World Economic Forum and Bain & Company described grid-edge technologies as "smart and connected technologies at the end of the electric power grid". The same report named three trends that drive them: electrification, decentralization and digitalization.

What is flexibility?

Flexibility is the ability to shift, reduce or increase electricity use, storage or feed-in when a signal asks for it. A heat pump can pre-heat a building one hour earlier. A battery can charge at midday instead of in the evening. An EV can charge more slowly during a local peak.

Swiss law gives this concept a legal basis. Since 1 January 2026, Article 17c of the Electricity Supply Act (StromVG) states that end consumers, producers and storage operators are the holders of flexibility. Anyone who wants to use that flexibility must get the right to do so by contract.

Flexibility can serve different purposes. Swissgrid describes three: market-oriented use (for example, energy trading), grid-oriented use (for example, relieving a local distribution grid) and system-oriented use (for example, balancing the whole system). These uses can compete with each other, so they need coordination.

Why does this matter now?

More PV at the edge of the grid

Switzerland adds a large amount of solar power every year. According to the federal solar energy statistics, installed PV capacity reached about 9,499 MW at the end of 2025, and PV covered 13.71% of Swiss final electricity consumption in that year. Most of this capacity sits on roofs and feeds into low-voltage grids, which were not designed for large midday feed-in.

Electrification of heating and mobility

Heat pumps replace oil and gas boilers, and electric vehicles replace combustion cars. Both add new electrical load in homes and buildings. Both also add flexibility, because buildings store heat and most cars stand still for many hours.

More storage behind the meter

Installed electrical storage capacity (mostly lithium-ion) in Switzerland grew from about 0.90 GWh at the end of 2024 to about 1.38 GWh at the end of 2025, in about 93,400 systems.

Grid expansion takes time

Swissgrid states that grid projects often take 15 years or more from planning to completion. Using existing grid capacity better is therefore an important first step.

How is orchestration different from classic demand response?

Classic demand response often means a few large industrial loads, or a ripple-control signal that switches groups of boilers or heat pumps on or off at fixed times. Orchestration is more granular and more continuous.

Aspect	Classic demand response	Grid-edge orchestration
Typical assets	Large industrial loads; groups of boilers or heat pumps	Many small, mixed assets: heat pumps, batteries, PV, EV chargers
Control style	Event-based or fixed schedules; on/off signals	Continuous, predictive control based on forecasts and live data
Data	Little or no feedback from the device	Real-time monitoring of each asset and its constraints
Comfort and owner needs	Often ignored during an event	Part of the optimization (for example, room temperature, EV departure time)
Purpose	Usually one purpose, such as peak reduction	Several purposes, coordinated: local grid needs, balancing, self-consumption
Visibility for the grid operator	Limited	Forecasts of how much flexibility is available, where and when

How does orchestration work in practice?

Connect. The platform connects to devices directly or through the energy management systems (EMS) that already run in buildings.
Monitor. It collects real-time data on power, state of charge, temperatures and device status.
Forecast. It predicts load, PV production and the flexibility that each asset and each group of assets can offer.
Optimize. It calculates schedules that respect owner limits and combine grid and market signals.
Control and verify. It sends set-points, checks that devices respond and reports what was delivered.

Key facts

Swiss installed PV capacity at the end of 2025: about 9,499 MW in 338,270 grid-connected systems (BFE, Statistik Sonnenenergie 2025).
PV share of Swiss final electricity consumption in 2025: 13.71% (7,948 GWh of 57,970 GWh).
Installed electrical storage capacity in Switzerland at the end of 2025: about 1.38 GWh, up 54% from 2024.
Since 1 January 2026, Art. 17c StromVG defines end consumers, producers and storage operators as flexibility holders; use of flexibility by others requires a contract.
Swissgrid: grid projects often take 15 years or more from planning to completion.

Where kuafu fits

kuafu is an AI-powered grid-edge orchestration platform, offered as a service, that connects building owners, energy management system (EMS) providers and grid operators. It monitors and controls local energy resources such as heat pumps, batteries in buildings and electric vehicles, with predictive control and real-time monitoring. It gives grid operators forecasts of flexibility and service availability, to support congestion management and balancing.