Virtual power plants

Will California fund or kill its thriving virtual power plant program?

Gov. Newsom’s administration has proposed ending a program that’s brought a gigawatt of grid relief online. Lawmakers want to know what will replace it.

By Jeff St. John . 31 March 2026

Curved residential street in a neighborhood of two-story homes showing many roofs with solar panels — Solar panels on homes in the San Diego community of Carmel Valley (K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)

Virtual power plants

More states look to virtual power plants to fight rising electric bills

A dozen state legislatures are pushing measures to launch or expand programs that rely on customers’ thermostats, batteries, and EVs to relieve the grid.

By Jeff St. John . 25 February 2026
Virtual power plants

New Orleans’ latest bid for a better grid: a citywide virtual power plant

The storm-prone city is making its local utility design a $28 million incentive program to get hundreds more backup batteries into homes and businesses.

By Julian Spector . 24 February 2026
Virtual power plants

Why Xcel’s bid to reinvent the virtual power plant is so controversial

Most VPPs rely on customers’ solar and batteries. Xcel says its utility-owned alternative can do a better job in Minnesota — but critics question the cost.

By Jeff St. John . 17 February 2026
Virtual power plants

Massachusetts tries a market for distributed energy to tame grid costs

National Grid’s new marketplace seeks batteries, EV chargers, and other distributed energy resources to help relieve stressed grid circuits. Here’s how it works.

By Jeff St. John . 21 January 2026
Virtual power plants

Duke Energy wants to spend on battery incentives to save on power plants

The utility already rewards North Carolina homes that let it tap their batteries. It now proposes doing the same for businesses, local governments, and nonprofits.

By Elizabeth Ouzts . 8 December 2025
Virtual power plants

Can crowdsourcing help solve the data-center power crunch?

Data centers want to connect to the grid faster. Voltus says virtual power plants can help them do so — and cut costs for everyday utility customers.

By Jeff St. John . 20 October 2025
Virtual power plants

Why did Newsom veto California’s virtual-power-plant bills?

Supporters say the bills would have helped ease the state’s energy affordability crisis while strengthening grid reliability.

By Jeff St. John . 8 October 2025
Virtual power plants

Did California just screw up the largest virtual power plant in the US?

Lawmakers axed funding for the state’s most promising effort yet to cut grid costs with solar-charged batteries and smart thermostats. Can the program be saved?

By Jeff St. John . 29 September 2025
Virtual power plants

Virtual power plants may soon provide more electricity to Illinois’ grid

The state has tons of solar, thanks to past laws. Now, legislators are weighing incentives for home batteries that can give the grid clean power in times of need.

By Kari Lydersen . 25 September 2025
Virtual power plants

Can virtual power plants relieve hot spots on neighborhood power grids?

PG&E, Sunrun, and Span are testing how rooftop solar, batteries, and other resources can ease stressed-out local grid circuits as a way to avoid expensive upgrades.

By Jeff St. John . 19 September 2025