The reciprocity of virtual power plants and energy justice
VPP experts share insight on how to design a program to benefit all, regardless of income.
Massachusetts Senate considers DER peak reduction mandate to curb grid costs
Advocates are pushing for a new standard that requires utilities to leverage distributed energy resources (DER) for peak load management, offering a potential fix for the state’s high retail rates.
Control, not capacity, could be the next driver of U.S. residential storage investment
Investors are shifting focus from deployment growth to platforms that can orchestrate and monetize battery fleets.
“Pry open” VPP markets by ensuring VPP providers may access customer data, groups say
Two groups allege that utilities are blocking virtual power plant aggregators from accessing the meter data they need to provide a VPP. The groups call for using antitrust law to “pry open” VPP markets.
Arizona task force roadmap prioritizes virtual power plants and distributed solar to cut energy costs
Arizona’s Energy Promise Taskforce released 31 recommendations calling for the accelerated deployment of virtual power plants and distributed solar to meet a projected 40% increase in peak demand.
Minnesota PUC approves utility battery program while deferring VPP decisions
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved 50 MW to 200 MW of utility-owned storage while requiring Xcel Energy to study the grid value of distributed resources.
Jigar Shah sees virtual power plants as the fastest way for states to stabilize electric bills
States can control the retail cost of electricity by promoting virtual power plants, consisting of distributed batteries and other resources, which can be deployed “within months,” said industry veteran Jigar Shah and a co-author in a report.
Solar-plus-storage VPPs must be ‘indistinguishable’ from peakers to win over grid operators, says EnergyHub
A EnergyHub report lays out what it will take for dispatchers to treat VPPs like conventional power plants.
Sunrun VPP enrollment jumps 400% as battery storage attachment hits 70%
As storage attachment rates hit 70% for new customers, Sunrun’s fleet of networked residential batteries expands rapidly, now featuring over 106,000 homes participating in VPP grid services.
California’s home batteries are replacing gas plants and saving hundreds of millions
The Brattle Group analyzed a gigawatt-hour virtual power plant test that may be the world’s largest as part of its review of California’s distributed peak-shaving program.
