Storing renewable energy in electric vehicle batteries (EVs) instead of stationary energy storage facilities could help the European Union save over 106.5 billion dollars (100 billion euros) over ten years, according to a European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E) study. If the intricacies are worked out, EVs could become the fourth-largest electricity supplier in the EU by 2040. 

With the addition of energy storage, solar-enabled ratepayers can power their way through an emergency individually with clean kilowatts, and they can also lend a hand collectively by enrolling in a virtual power plant.

Irish-based smart grid technology company GridBeyond says it has raised €52.25 million ($A86 million) in a new funding round that will help it expand its virtual power plant business, including in Australia, and help customers match load with green energy output.

Connecting a large amount of solar and battery systems together is called a Distributed Power Plant (DPP for short. It’s also called a Virtual Power Plant). You can think of this as a power plant that is in many places at once. Below we’ll explain why they’re needed, how they work, and action you can take to bring them to your community.

For utilities and other power providers without the time and resources to build or buy software and develop multi-asset VPPs on their own, AutoGrid’s turnkey VPP offering is a game-changing option.

In the dynamic Australian energy market, VPPs are playing a pivotal role in unlocking new revenue streams while providing grid support by balancing supply and demand.

This paper discusses the simultaneous management of active and reactive power of a flexible renewable energy-based virtual power plant placed in a smart distribution system, based on the economic, operational, and voltage security objectives of the distribution system operator.

A Utah storage company is on the cutting edge of utilizing distributed energy to strengthen the power grid, and today they’re taking another step forward.

Origin Energy has claimed bragging rights over rival AGL for the largest virtual power plant in Australia – and perhaps the world – as it outlines the strategies it is deploying to manage the rising shares of intermittent wind and solar energy in the grid.

Virtual power plants have emerged as one of the leading solutions to decarbonizing the grid and meeting explosive demand for electricity. While they offer many potential benefits, not everyone is sold on the technology being the best path forward.

THE Zimbabwean government is racing against time to meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 7: affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030.

Recently, State Grid Jiangsu Electric Power has developed the first municipal virtual power plant monitoring and management platform in Changzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province.

US solar power company Sunrun has announced it will expand its support for the energy grid in Texas in partnership with Tesla Electric, a subsidiary of Tesla.

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), announced the completion of DEWA’s pilot Virtual Power Plant (VPP) project, the first of its kind in the region.

CPower CEO Michael Smith joined the Factor This! podcast to break down the technology behind VPPs, where the industry stands today, and the critical markets no one is looking at.

By testing energy use in multiple homes in a real world setting ARENA hopes to unlock the potential of smart homes.

Ningxia is just one region taking the initiative to explore virtual power plants in China. Currently, the virtual power plant control platform manages five virtual power plants, involving 14 types of industries. Their adjustable electricity load is equivalent to three 600-megawatt thermal power units, saving an investment of about 9 billion yuan and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 8.3 million metric tons.

California is home to the nation's largest virtual power plant, and it will likely play a critical role in supporting the state's electric grid during the hot summer months. 

Texas is uniquely suited to adopt virtual power plant (VPP) technology due to its competitive, deregulated market. Its success highlights the “perverse incentive” of vertically integrated utilities in other US states to make capital expenditures without discretion to raise profits.

In this explainer video, we delve into the concept of DSF, showcasing its potential to revolutionise our energy systems by enabling consumers to dynamically adjust their energy use in response to external signals.