Smart grid virtual power plant solar container charging pile

Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) are a network of small energy generation sites—think hundreds of homes with rooftop solar—that are combined with storage technologies like home batteries and electric vehicles to help grid operators manage peak demand, improve affordability, and. These changes create opportunities and challenges for the future, but one grid innovation is providing a model for how the next era of grid stability and affordability. That’s when PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E tapped 100,000 residential storage batteries installed by Tesla and Sunrun to form a first of its kind VPP — virtual power plant. Paired with advanced battery storage, VPPs enhance reliability, unlock new revenue streams, and support deeper renewable integration.