**9. Conclusions**

Demand Response has been used for years in the operation and management of power systems. However, few experiences exist in the natural gas sector, where the application of DR strategies is almost non-existing.

The most significant experiences on DR utilization in the gas sector, as well as the main issues to take into account for the implementation of DR actions in gas networks, have been highlighted in this chapter. This kind of mechanisms offers many benefits either for customers and other stakeholders within the gas sector and may increase significantly the efficiency of the gas system when used in balance services by the gas system operator. Moreover, due to the similarities existing between the power and natural gas systems, the application of similar strategies used in electric systems for the gas sector should be considered as the natural evolution for a more efficient and operative management. Together with that, new strategies such as the injection of hydrogen in the gas network may also contribute to the higher efficiency of the whole system, reducing emissions and helping to integrate renewable resources.

The barriers that may prevent the utilization of DR resources in the natural gas system are also discussed here. However, many of them can be solved, thanks to the new structure that today is being given to the energy systems based on the concept of smart grid, which is discussed in this chapter. It is indeed in energy systems structured according to the smart grid configuration, where the application of DR is more useful and profitable.
