Virtual Power Plants
How software can coordinate many distributed resources as an aggregated grid resource.
Where this fits
How software can coordinate many distributed resources as an aggregated grid resource.
Core system ideas
A virtual power plant aggregates distributed generation, storage or flexible demand through communications and control.
The aggregation can respond to system or market signals while individual assets remain geographically distributed.
Performance depends on communications, customer participation, device capability and accurate availability data.
Interfaces and tradeoffs
Modernization layers sensing, communications, software and power electronics onto the physical grid. Those additions create new capabilities as well as lifecycle, interoperability and cybersecurity dependencies.
What organizations measure
Available capacity, response, opt-outs, communications success and delivered service.