Featured in Tipping point – 11-2023

VPPs get the VIP treatment

With net metering waning in the United States and utilities looking for ways to affordably bolster their electricity networks, the US Department of Energy (DOE) is trying to support virtual power plant (VPP) deployment. Solar industry veteran Jigar Shah, known as the father of the solar power purchase agreement, is now leading the charge at the department’s Loans Programs Office.

By

Ryan Kennedy

09 Nov 2023

“The DOE has invested heavily in open architecture but in saying that, not everyone has to use it” – Jigar Shah | Photo: pv magazine

pv magazine: What are the benefits of VPPs and why are you pushing them at the DOE?Jigar Shah: There are two pieces to this. One is that we have been doing demand response and remote control, and virtual power plant-like things for over 30 years. What’s new is that many people have an app on …

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