Demand response systems ask companies to ease off on their energy use at peak times to relieve the power grid, and are gaining in popularity with rising energy costs, climate change and infamous blackouts.

Operation Save New York, a demand response program administered by Energy Curtailment Specialists, Inc. has gotten 20 Marriot hotels in New York State to participate in the program. To adjust their energy levels, the hotels may turn down lights, reduce cooling and heating in unused areas, run emergency generators and turn off non-critical equipment. Operation New York members receive notice a day prior to when they'll need to lighten their loads.

The program participants receive payments in return for agreeing to reduce their load when the electric grid is overloaded and in trouble.

Energy Curtailment Specialists also just signed a contract with utility KCP&L to provide demand response programs in Missouri and Kansas. The deal is expected to reduce peak energy use by 30 megawatts a year, equivalent to the peak demand of about 10,000 homes. The company also is branching out to California, where it is working with utility PG&E and Southern California Edison to provide demand response systems across the country.

Programs like this help prevent blackouts and eliminate the need to build new power plants in addition to lightening the load on the environment.