Virginia’s new energy plan puts distributed energy and grid flexibility at the center of its strategy for meeting soaring electricity demand.
At its most basic, AI is not human; it’s electrons. Pull the plug, and it’s gone. Obviously, no one is pulling any plugs. But the power industry can – and is – starting to pull some levers.
The California program assembles an ecosystem of distributed energy companies to install new home energy systems and aggregate existing devices.
Forget the idea that a virtual power plant is just thousands of batteries and thermostats. New Jersey players are pushing for something much broader.
The conversation shifted this year from what distributed energy can do to what it can save, as utility rates escalate.
Robert Cross of Outfit argues that distributed energy resources have become an “irresistible force” colliding with the “immovable object” of the traditional utility business model
With its use of distributed power plants, the island offers a lesson on how the mainland grid can survive the age of AI.
Michael Lee, founder of Distributed Grid, says the cost-of-service model is increasingly out of step with today’s grid realities. He argues for a distributed grid where utilities are paid for outcomes such as affordability, reliability and speed to power, rather than for expanding rate base.
By creating virtual power plants, tech companies can give something back to the community and maybe ease some of the opposition to data centers.
Local solar, batteries, EVs and virtual power plants aren’t sideshows. They’re becoming core grid resources.