December 22, 2022 Michael Schoeck

Swell Power, a digital energy plant and distributed power integrator, has partnered with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District to combine 20 MWh of residential battery capability and 10 MW of co-located solar energy capability into residential digital energy plant (VPP) system.

Referred to as My Power Optimizer Companion+, the VPP program has the power to scale from 20 MWh / 10 MW of preliminary storage and energy capability to 54 MWh / 27 MW over time. Contractual capability underneath this system is predicated on two-hour supply capability, with a day’s advance discover to deal with as much as 240 occasions per yr.

Whereas particular person photo voltaic and battery storage methods assist prospects handle their very own power wants, the My Power Optimizer Companion+ program permits prospects to function their particular person methods with many others in gathering and sending renewable power sources to profit their communities. Collaborating My Power Optimizer Companion+ prospects obtain upfront and ongoing funds, or GridRevenue, primarily based on the capability of their photo voltaic and power storage methods.

“As extra SMUD prospects add photo voltaic panel methods paired with battery storage options, they are going to be higher capable of handle their very own power wants whereas making significant contributions to lowering their group’s carbon footprint, ” stated Lora Anguay, chief zero carbon officer of SMUD.

At the moment, there are about 600 residential power storage methods in SMUD’s service space with a further 400 within the interconnection course of. The utility has a backlog of 1000’s extra coming on-line over the following few years.

SMUD is dedicated to funding batteries for low-income prospects in its service territory by native non-profit packages corresponding to Grid Alternate options.

“We’re honored to work with SMUD in direction of reaching their Carbon Zero 2030 plan by the deployment of a multifaceted digital energy plant within the SMUD territory and the general CAISO grid,” stated Suleman Khan, CEO of Swell. Power. “We imagine this mannequin is a beacon for the way municipal utilities and different public utilities can obtain the dimensions and worth of distributed power assets.”

My Power Optimizer Companion+ will take enrollments in January 2023, with VPP operations scheduled to start in April. Native residential photo voltaic and electrical installers are invited to associate with Swell Power to co-develop initiatives for the VPP program.

On November 22, Santa Monica, California-based Swell Power raised $120 million in fairness financing to broaden its VPP program choices. The spherical was led by SoftBank and Greenbacker Capital, with participation from Ares Administration.

The corporate develops 350 MWh of VPP methods utilizing 16,000 battery methods from residential and business purposes. At the moment the corporate operates utility methods in California, Hawaii and New York.

Swell is on the lookout for new progress alternatives in underserved markets the place grid providers are wanted to strengthen and modernize infrastructure, such because the New England, PJM Interconnection market , in addition to western and southern states the place renewable power and electrical autos are happening.

The power know-how startup is creating VPPs by linking utilities, prospects and repair suppliers to mixture distributed power assets. The corporate was shaped in 2014 and has raised about $582 million in VC funding to this point and counts CIT Group, Aligned Local weather Capital, For Good Ventures and Third Sphere as traders.

Digital energy vegetation or VPPs are digital aggregations of distributed power assets (DERs) corresponding to photo voltaic, power storage, electrical car charging stations and demanding gadgets. that reply like water heaters and sensible thermostats. The advantages of VPPS transcend offering decarbonization and grid resiliency. The networks supply grid operators a big and utility-grade various to new era sources and constructing methods by automated effectivity, capability help, and non-wire alternate options.