The Demand Response Research Center (DRRC) conducts research that advances the near-term adoption of demand response (DR) technologies, policies, programs, strategies and practices. It was established in 2004 by the California Energy Commission's Public Interest Energy Research Program. To achieve its objectives, DRRC activities have been guided by five tasks:

1. Create a roadmap to guide DR Research.
2. Establish multi-institutional partnerships.
3. Pursue outreach efforts to foster connections with customer, vendors, utility, and other stakeholders.
4. Sustain long-term attention to DR research.
5. Conduct research, development, demonstrations, and technology transfer.

Distributed energy research in EETD focuses on the microgrid. A microgrid is a localized grouping of electricity sources and loads that normally operate connected to and synchronous with the traditional centralized grid (macrogrid), but can disconnect and function autonomously as physical and/or economic conditions dictate.

Microgrids research focuses on customer adoption patterns of microgrid technology.