peaker

Peaker is a term with multiple meanings. In energy and utilities, a peaker or peaking plant refers to a power plant that is brought online to meet short-term spikes in electricity demand. Peakers are characterized by rapid startup and fast ramp rates, enabling them to respond to sudden changes in supply and demand or to compensate for intermittent generation from renewables. They are typically simple-cycle natural gas turbines or small reciprocating engines, and may also include diesel-fired units. Because they are used infrequently relative to baseload plants, peakers tend to have higher fuel costs per unit of energy and higher emissions per megawatt hour, though newer technologies and cleaner fuels have reduced these impacts. The role of peakers in modern grids includes providing reliability, frequency regulation, and contingency response, and they may be owned by utilities, independent power producers, or under contract.

In general usage, peaker can also refer to a person who speaks at an event. It is a colloquial form of "speaker" and may appear in journalistic or informal contexts to denote a participant who gives a short talk or testimony, often before a panel or audience. The term is less formal than "guest speaker" or "presenter" and is rarely used in formal documentation.