Virtual Power Plants are where you use software to integrate a wide variety of power sources to balance large-scale national grids. This means things like home solar, heat pumps, car batteries, and so on.
The US government is working to triple its VPP capacity by 2030. That capacity is equivalent to 80 to 160 fossil-fuel plants that don’t have to be built. VPP’s are also a huge boost to the concept of a 100% renewables grid. Objections to that idea usually center around rare use cases when renewables and storage might fail (times when wind and solar have been low for weeks - e.g. extended calm weather in winter). VPP’s provide an additional huge source of storage to lessen those concerns.
It’s a really great idea, tbh. Why not give back to your local grid any energy you’re not using. Works well for everyone then.
PGE out in northern California is trying to do this, pretty awesome tech
