Solar Asset Mapper's (TZ-SAM) algorithms use satellite data to detect small, commercial solar facilities globally. Updated quarterly, the dataset contains over 23,000 km² of solar across 190 countries with a combined, total estimated capacity of 922 GW.

Virtual power plants are spreading across the US, enabling more electricity ratepayers to save money on their utility bills while motivating a shift away from gas appliances. Apparently President Trump hasn’t figured out a way to squash them, but give him a chance. He’ll figure it out. In the meantime, an interesting twist has bubbled up in the form of a new grid concept that launches itself into defensive mode when danger threatens, fending off cyberattacks, natural disasters, and other potential disruptions.

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.

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.

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.

GM Energy, a new business unit of General Motors, focuses on offering batteries, EV chargers, and software to residential and commercial customers. The company has recently introduced the Ultium Home product suite, which includes energy storage, solar panels, and bi-directional charging equipment. These products enable vehicle-to-home (V2H) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities, allowing electric vehicles to power homes during blackouts or to provide energy back to the grid. GM Energy aims to expand its energy management services to mitigate the effects of power outages and provide cost-effective energy solutions for customers.

With its dense population and seismic activity, Taiwan faces formidable challenges in maintaining a steady energy supply. Similarly, Japan is also threatened by quakes. In response, Japan initiated the development of virtual power plants (VPPs) in 2016.

The DRIVE Act would require utilities to support vehicle-to-grid technology in a distributed energy resource portfolio amid efforts to shore up the congested PJM Interconnection.

Vietnam has millions of e-scooters and an unstable power supply. One might think that these two things signal trouble when put together, but here’s how some Vietnamese are using their e-scooters to improve stability of the electrical grid and help small businesses avoid blackouts.