California community choice aggregator Ava Community Energy recently announced the launch of a Virtual Power Plant strategy.
VPPs are systems that aggregate distributed energy resources, such as electric vehicles and home batteries, so they can be controlled remotely to enhance grid reliability and lower costs.
With this new VPP program, Ava said it is seeking to help:
• Customers get the most out of their energy investments, by optimizing all their connected devices against one another and against the needs of the grid, without impacting the residents’ enjoyment of their home or vehicle
• Renewable energy it purchase goes further, which lowers cost for all
• Relieve stress on the grid by enabling consumption or discharge of distributed resources at optimal times
"Ava’s plan builds on the success and learnings of its 2020 Resilient Home pilot where Ava recruited 1,200 customers to discharge their home battery during evening peak demand times for a period of ten years, lowering Ava’s overall load and reducing the amount of power purchased from other sources," it said.
Ava has partnered with Lunar Energy and is using its Gridshare software platform to support the execution of this strategy.
Lunar’s Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) capabilities, multi-device management and optimization expertise, and their experience operating in complex energy markets, across North America, Europe and Asia were important factors in this partnership decision.
Ava SmartHome Charging, a program for EV drivers who charge their vehicles at home, and the first pillar of Ava’s VPP program, is now available.
Participating customers can earn up to $100 a year in incentives plus realize savings on their charging-related energy bill. A program for residential solar and battery storage customers will follow in the Fall of 2025.
