Trudie Wang

For anyone who will be at IEEE Power & Energy Society T&D Conference feel free to stop by our panel session on #EVs and #gridreliability. Will be an interesting cross-sector discussion including technology provider, independent system operator, and utility perspectives among others. E-mobility is driving the blending of Transmission and Distribution system planning, design, and operations. Particularly with the growing prevalence of distributed energy resources, IoT and grid-edge technologies, and virtual power plants (#VPPs).

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If you want VPP - ‘virtual power plants,’ first define them ... Clarity around terminology and end goals can break through years of policy inertia. After a period of relatively slow growth, virtual power plants are having a moment. A recent Brattle Group study finds VPPs could save California consumers over a half-billion dollars per year. PJM mostly finalized its VPP rules in late 2023, shortly after the Department of Energy’s “Pathways to Commercial Liftoff” report offered a U.S. roadmap for VPP deployment. Every other week, it seems, there’s news about a successful VPP pilot or financing for a new large VPP project. The discourse around VPPs is broken Virtual power plants are aggregations of distributed energy resources that can function as a single resource to provide certain services associated with traditional power plants. And while it’s a virtue that VPPs can include diverse resources and offer a variety of services, their complexity has often hindered policymaking efforts. Level 1 VPP: Utility program where individual DERs respond to utility signals to provide grid services. (Examples: Massachusetts’ Connected Solutions program and California’s Demand Side Grid Support program.) Level 2 VPP: DERs are aggregated into a “fleet” that responds as one resource to a utility’s call for grid services. (Example: SunRun VPPs in contracts with PG&E and California Community Choice Aggregators.) Level 3 VPP: DERs are aggregated into a “fleet” that operates as one resource in a wholesale market while staying coordinated with the local distribution utility. The fleet and individual DERs may also provide retail market services. (Example: FERC Order 2222 aggregations, when they appear.) Again, the purpose of defining terms like “virtual power plant” — or “energy storage,” “resilience,” etc. — isn’t to uncover some sort of existential truth about these resources. Nor is it to constrain anyone’s marketing efforts — go ahead and call your VPP offering whatever you want. Patented TNi Energy-BESS, we've innovated a groundbreaking method that repurposes recycled lead-acid batteries, extending their life span to 20 years for energy storage purposes. Previously, the industry lacked a safe and environmentally conscious alternative to lithium-ion batteries. However, our patented proprietary technique reveals that lead-acid batteries are not only safer but also 50-60% more cost-effective than their hazardous counterparts. #TNiEnergy, #nebulositycloud, #BESS, #C3Energy, #Energy, #ZEROemmissions, #ZEROcarbonfootprint, #energytransistion, #LeadAcid Battery, #windpower, #solarpower, #VPP, #MicroGrid, #DERM

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🌞 California’s battery energy storage market is booming! By the end of 2024, CAISO is set to reach 12 GW of commercially operational capacity—a mind-blowing 25x growth from just 470 MW four years ago. 🔋⚡ Highlights: 📍 Big BESS: World-leading sites like Edwards & Sanborn (1,066 MW/3,287 MWh), Moss Landing, and Desert Sunlight are setting the standard. ☀️ SP15 dominance: 75% of CAISO’s battery capacity is in Southern California, leveraging abundant solar power and flexible storage needs. 📈 2025 outlook: Another 5.6 GW of battery storage is on the way, including the highly anticipated 1,920 MW Atlas Complex. Want to be part of this record-breaking growth? Modo Energy is hiring Market Analysts to help shape the future of energy markets. 🌍 Whether you’re in California or beyond, this is your chance to work on cutting-edge projects in the energy transition. 📽️ Watch the video and check out the full article (link in comments 👇). Let’s chat if this sounds like the perfect role for you! 🚀 #CAISO #BatteryEnergyStorage #EnergyTransition #Hiring #RenewableEnergy

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Karen Herter, this is an incredibly timely and helpful report. Most telecom and energy engineers are focused on deploying two-way networks and IP connectivity to everything. In contrast, this report provides strategic quantification of the benefits of using multiple existing networks to provide hyperconnectivity to demand response devices. Well done!!!

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Great overview by Gridmatic on the differences in battery #energystorage bidding behavior between California ISO and ERCOT https://bit.ly/40TRBEv "A significant portion of CAISO’s revenue comes from Day-Ahead Energy, whereas it remains relatively small in ERCOT. Several factors contribute to this difference, including obligations for storage resources with resource adequacy contracts, Default Energy Bid (DEB) complexities, and CAISO’s methods of awarding ancillary services based on State of Charge (SOC) expectations. Comparing individual systems in ERCOT and CAISO, we see that ERCOT batteries primarily rely on ancillary services throughout the day, while CAISO batteries need Day-Ahead Energy to ensure they are cleared for higher-value RegUp and RegDn awards."

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RMI’s VP3 just published profiles of 14 VPPs that are providing 1500 MW of capacity across the US with ~4M participants. They detail out the grid services, participation parameters, and operator dynamics to shed light on successful models that are ready to scale up. “How utilities and their customers are already benefitting from VPPs and insights for future implementation.” #VirtualPowerPlants

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🔋 Microgrid Knowledge's Lisa Cohn recently sat down with Fermata Energy’s Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs, Steve Letendre, PhD, to discuss recent legislation in California and more broadly the importance of bidirectional charging for grid reliability and resilience. While the passage of SB 59 in California helps to raise awareness about Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) technology, Steve says that it does not address the key challenges in order for California and other states to maximize bidirectional charging benefits. He shared what really needs to happen, including: 1. A streamlined process that allows EV drivers to connect bidirectional chargers to the grid. 2. Incentives must be provided for V2X that are comparable to those currently available for stationary storage. 3. Compensation for the value that bidirectional EV charging infrastructure provides to both customers and the grid. At Fermata Energy, we’re committed to driving technologies and regulations that make Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) a critical asset for grid resilience and sustainability. 🔗 Read the full article: https://bit.ly/3TYNfrp #V2X #BidirectionalCharging #GridFlexibility #EVs #CleanEnergy

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Leeward Renewable Energy, alongside California's PG&E, has established a pivotal long-term agreement ensuring resource adequacy for a substantial PV co-located Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Arizona. This 15-year commitment encompasses the energy generated by the Sierra Pinta BESS project in Yuma County, Arizona, boasting a capacity of 112.5MW/450MWh and slated to commence construction in September, aiming for commercial operation in the first half of 2025. Resource Adequacy (RA) agreements, such as this, are vital mechanisms within the CAISO market, allowing resources to commit their capacity to meet demand requirements, bolstering reliability without reliance on centralized Capacity Market (CM) auctions. Arizona's landscape is witnessing a surge in grid-scale BESS initiatives, driven by long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), tolling agreements, and RA commitments. Notably, Plus Power secured tax equity for a 360MWh project in May, followed by Longroad Energy's commencement of an 855MWh system in March. Additionally, a 1GWh project came online during the same month, claiming the title of the state's largest endeavor in energy storage. This flurry of activity underscores Arizona's emergence as a focal point for large-scale energy storage endeavors. https://lnkd.in/gN2SPQHx

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Great work by Synapse Energy Economics, Berkeley Lab and E4TheFuture in codifying Distributional Equity Analysis for distributed energy, and elevating it as and equal companion to Benefit-Cost Analysis. I'm hearing growing equity concerns about DERs - e.g., rising rates for renters/households/business who can't quickly weatherize/electrify/buy solar/storage/EVs; those "left behind" on natural gas. What if a project/program/investment passes BCA but worsens equity? Awesome to see these questions go mainstream - and a rigorous approach! I am looking forward to working on DER equity analysis! DOE page links to a long and short guide, and registration for a June 25th webinar: https://lnkd.in/gsC2WhKy #energyequity #distributedenergy #energyjustice

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Call to Action for VPP Analysis 🔬 ⚡ ...Today I got this wonderful #virtualpowerplant report created for GridLab in Berkeley and I thought: "Why do we still paint VPP in such broad strokes, when we can dive so much deeper now?" If only a utility in California would (please) share anonymized smart meter data we could run the real VPP simulations across the entire local balancing area! Working at Optony Inc., we do on-site energy simulation based on single smart meter data for real projects everyday, using our own Meter Disaggregated Optimized Cost Simulator (MDOCS). But there's no reason we should be doing this one meter at a time. If the data was available, we could perform a huge simultaneous dispatch model based on real meter data, then we could make the valuation for a VPP accurately and holistically. Or maybe this work has already been done? If any of our friends at The Brattle Group, or Sunverge Energy, Inc., or AutoGrid have already released a system level VPP model then I'd love to be proven right 🙂 ... that this meter-data VPP valuation can be done (or already has been done). https://lnkd.in/gKhRWh2w

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We're excited to announce that EnergyHub has been awarded a grant by the California Energy Commission to expand the participation of distributed energy resources (DERs) in virtual power plants (VPPs) across California. The funding will help us enroll up to 7,000 new thermostats, EVs, EV chargers, and batteries in our platform with a focus on low- and moderate-income customers. Our partnership with Leap will allow us to bid these aggregated devices into CAISO, increasing the value of customer-owned DERs to the electricity system and providing a seamless experience for residents looking to enroll in the program. Here's to accelerating California's progress towards a 100% renewable energy future and improving grid reliability! Read more in today's press release. https://lnkd.in/ggxhzRc2 #RenewableEnergy #VPPs #DERs #GridEdge #CleanEnergy #EnergyTransition

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Interested in how the electric grid is evolving during the energy transition? Check out these three episodes from With Great Power! 1️⃣ What cleaning the grid means for Californians: https://hubs.li/Q02R6t1k0 2️⃣ Preparing the grid for millions more electric cars: https://hubs.li/Q02R6sqg0 3️⃣ The urgent need for more grid automation: https://hubs.li/Q02R6rM80

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California targets 100% renewable energy by 2045. Battery energy storage, installed on the customer’s side of the meter, can store energy from renewable solar and wind for later use as well as: ✔️ensure reliable power during grid outages ✔️reduce utility bills ✔️cut carbon emissions To accelerate battery energy storage adoption, the Energy Storage Permitting Guidebook (funded by the California Energy Commission) offers best practices to streamline permitting. CSE's Kelly Leathers discusses the importance of energy storage and best practices to overcome permitting hurdles here: https://lnkd.in/grpvGzB5

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Back in April of 2023, The California Public Utilities Commission's new Net Billing Tariff (also known as NEM 3.0) took effect. The new structure dramatically changed how rooftop solar owners are compensated for any excess power that they produce and sell back to the grid. One year later and we have a bit of perspective on how the market is responding to these changes. For this week's Eight Minutes episode, I sat with Stephanie Doyle from Solar Energy Industries Association to discuss how the California solar market is adapting to NEM 3.0. The Eight Minutes episode may be found here: https://lnkd.in/ennaYFjn And the extended interview with Stephanie can be found at More Than Eight Minutes, here: https://lnkd.in/eN5qHrBF #solar #NEM30 #energytransition #climatechange

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When is a utility NOT a utility, and how can they affect massive change for EV charging optimization at scale? In California, one of the largest Community Choice Aggregators (#CCA) is MCE which provides retail electricity to nearly 1.5 million residential and business customers in the Bay Area. Our company, ev.energy, provides MCE and its customers with a method to ensure that EV charging happens 1) to avoid stress on the electric grid and 2) when the most abundant renewable energy is available. In the video here, MCE's customers explain in their own words how the ev.energy app allows them to "set it and forget it" to optimize charging to keep electricity bills as low as possible, while keeping their EV charged and ready to go when they need it. We at ev.energy are bringing this forward-looking approach to managed charging not just to utilities around the country and the world, but also to emerging organizations dedicated to clean transportation. #electriccars #electricvehicles #virtualpowerplant #vpp #EVcharging #utilities #tesla #marincounty #loadmanagement #demandresponse

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✅ The transition from a net energy metering (NEM) policy to a net billing tariff (NBT) structure is reshaping the solar industry, particularly in California. ✅ While customers may initially have less financial incentive due to this transition, it has prompted a significant increase in battery energy storage inclusion which can offer substantial advantages including backup power and storage for high demand periods. ✅ Despite fears of a downturn, solar installations remain consistent, and there has been a surge in consolidation, implying a stronger, more robust solar market. Discover how California's shift to a new solar market structure has unexpectedly spotlighted the benefits of integrating battery storage with solar panels, defying initial fears and not only sustaining, but strengthening the solar industry with a surprising boost in battery energy storage inclusion. Explore the evolving dynamics of solar installations, the shift in customer financing, and how these changes have resulted in an increase in ownership rates. Plus, you'll learn about market consolidation: the top five solar installers now control 51% of the market under NBT. Even amidst policy changes, the solar industry continues to innovate and provide opportunities for homeowners to capitalize on clean, renewable energy. For more information on selling solar virtually across the USA visit www.tstpros.com 🌞🔋🌎

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