Virtual Power Plant Project Combines Energy Load and Storage Controls

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A new virtual power plant project in California will incorporate intelligent load control with solar and energy storage capabilities, helping utilities transition to more resilient and flexible distribution grids.

The project will deliver power grid services to 100 homes in a Pacific Gas and Electric Company service area of northern and central California and will use LG’s energy storage systems and Sunverge’s distributed energy resource software. The PG&E battery storage pilot program will also use energy management circuit breakers from Eaton Corp., which will facilitate the Sunverge platform’s load control capabilities with energy storage and solar control and aggregation.

The project will help the utility and consumers evaluate high demand times, pricing, load shaping and event-based demand responses, according to Sunverge. It also will allow contingency reserve and frequency regulation and voltage support ancillary services.

Virtual power plant projects are beginning to be implemented in other areas as a way to improve energy efficiency. GridPoint and Leap also announced plans earlier in 2021 to develop virtual power plants, and STEM Inc. is implementing a similar energy storage project in South America.

They are just another intelligent tool, such as the increasing use of smart meters, the industry is implementing improve energy management and grid uses. Energy storage capabilities are also becoming increasingly important in energy transitions.

Some homes in the project are expected to use LG’s high-efficiency solar modules. The project will also make use of the LG ThinQ Energy App, which will help users control their home’s solar generation, battery storage and load control.

The PG&E virtual power plant project is expected to be operational in the first quarter of 2022.