Google, Ford, and Major Solar Companies Partner to Promote the Scaling of Virtual Power Plants

Ford, General Motors, Google Nest, OhmConnect, Olivine, SPAN, SunPower, Sunrun, SwitchDin, and Virtual Peaker, have formed a coalition the Virtual Power Plant Partnership (VP3).

VP3 aims to "catalyze industry and transform policy to support scaling VPPs" and will work closely with businesses that are leading in sectors such as electric vehicles, residential energy systems, building controls, software providers with utility-facing solutions and more.

According to RMI, the goals of VP3 are:

With the guidance and support of its members, VP3 is working toward a future where businesses, households, and communities are empowered through VPPs which can help to support cost-effective energy, emissions reductions, and a more resilient electricity grid.

To achieve this, VP3 will work to:

1. Catalog, research, and communicate VPP benefits

2. Develop industry-wide best practices, standards, and roadmaps

3. Inform and shape policy development

RMI also stated that, by the year 2030, virtual power plants “could reduce peak demand in the United States by 60 GW. That number could grow to more than 200 GW by 2050.”

“Virtual power plants are poised for explosive growth, and RMI is committed to being at the forefront of their success by launching VP3. Our analysis shows that VPPs can reduce peak power demand and improve grid resilience in a world of increasingly extreme climate events. A growing VPP market also means revenue opportunities for hardware, software, and energy-service companies in the buildings and automotive industries. For large energy users, VPPs can significantly reduce energy spend while providing new revenue streams.” — RMI CEO Jon Creyts

Source: https://rmi.org/press-release/rmi-launches-virtual-power-plant-partnership-with-support-from-general-motors-google-nest/ Image by vectorpouch