Sunnova Power Worldwide Inc., an adaptive power providers firm, introduced continued investments and growth to its digital energy plant (VPP) community, offering elevated reliability, lowered emissions, and decrease prices.
With its VPP investments, Sunnova is boosting accessibility in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and Texas to allow prospects to quickly entry saved battery energy in periods of peak demand—and in some instances ship extra energy again to {the electrical} grid—decreasing pressure on the grid and minimizing blackouts.
The facility produced by Sunnova’s rooftop photo voltaic and battery storage prospects helps offset the necessity for utilities to make use of conventional energy vegetation throughout peak demand durations. In return for his or her demand battery response and contribution, prospects are compensated for the facility equipped by their batteries in most applications.
“We’re revolutionizing the position of photo voltaic and storage whereas placing a refund into our prospects’ pockets—and the response has been overwhelming,” William J. (John) Berger, Sunnova’s CEO, mentioned in an announcement issued on April 3. “Our buyer base of greater than 419,000 includes an estimated 1 gigawatt-hour of storage capability, and this huge clear energy supply will go a good distance in supporting struggling grids, decarbonizing our power techniques, and compensating taking part prospects—making a win-win-win for everybody concerned. The way forward for residence power providers is right here.”
One current instance of Sunnova’s VPP management is demonstrated via the LUMA Battery Emergency Demand Response Program (BEDRP) in Puerto Rico. Because the main residential photo voltaic and battery storage providers firm in Puerto Rico, Sunnova presently manages greater than 1,000 enrolled prospects, the place capability of roughly 10 megawatt-hours is supplied to complement LUMA’s resilience in opposition to outages. By voluntarily taking part in this system via the Sunnova Flex Energy Program, Sunnova prospects play an lively position in bolstering the grid and supporting a dependable energy provide for Puerto Ricans.
“Electrical energy demand is being pushed to file ranges and the facility grid just isn’t prepared—however VPPs can supply crucial assist,” mentioned Berger. “We see VPPs as insurance coverage for the grid, as they’re prepared now to offer energy in instances of want and sort out the upcoming challenges forward of a constrained electrical system. We’re proud to be increasing our VPP service to assist prospects fight the skyrocketing worth of electrical energy and shore up the grid in instances of want.”
When the grid is below stress, Sunnova receives LUMA’s sign and discharges enrolled battery storage by way of the Sunnova Sentient platform, decreasing grid demand, minimizing blackouts, and preserving the facility on. As of March 2024, this Sunnova VPP has helped forestall 5 grid outages that might have doubtlessly impacted a number of hundred thousand properties on the island. The corporate’s VPP has additionally been used to offer extra reserve to the grid in moments when technology has been operating under really useful reserves. Right now’s announcement highlights how this success could be replicated throughout the nation.
“Our buyer base is quickly increasing, and we’re at a pivotal second in enrolling prospects into VPPs,” mentioned Michael Grasso, Sunnova’s Chief Income Officer. “This comes at a time when power storage is more and more turning into mainstream, and the supply of grid providers via our VPP is turning into an on a regular basis exercise. Sunnova is proud to be on the tip of the spear with regards to these revolutionary VPP applications, and we’re proud to not solely assist our prospects however to assist enhance the general resilience of our nation’s power grids.”
Beneath at this time’s announcement, Sunnova has expanded its operational VPP choices to a number of applications nationwide, together with:
- California. Energy Grid Shield and Emergency Load Discount Program
- New York. Battery Reward incentive program
- Northeast. Linked Options Demand Response Packages (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut)
- Puerto Rico. Sunnova Flex Energy Program via the LUMA Battery Emergency Demand Response Program
- Texas. Adaptive Retail Power Plan (Electrical Reliability Council of Texas [ERCOT])
“As policymakers start to see the success of present VPP applications nationwide, they’re quickly shifting to ascertain and implement comparable VPP initiatives with the objective of enhancing grid resilience and saving ratepayers cash amidst surging power calls for,” mentioned Meghan Nutting, Sunnova’s government vice chairman for Regulatory and Authorities Affairs. “With a powerful 24% battery attachment price amongst new buyer originations final quarter, our rising variety of prospects are primed to take part in VPP applications as they arrive on-line.”
The announcement represents Sunnova’s continued dedication to fostering power selection, enriching buyer experiences, empowering communities, and advancing the general power panorama throughout the U.S. Sunnova’s VPP applications make the most of its power administration options and proprietary Sunnova Sentient expertise platform, which optimizes power administration, enhances reliability and resiliency, offers demand response and grid help whereas offering extra income streams, and gives larger power independence for its community of shoppers.
—POWER edited this content material, which was contributed by a public relations agency representing Sunnova.
