Virtual Power Plant Webinar Replay, Issue Brief Available

A confluence of factors—including increasing distributed generation, additional connected devices in the home and a growing desire to strengthen reliability—are prompting some electric cooperatives to explore virtual power plants (VPPs). Unlike traditional demand-response programs, VPPs combine technologies that use, store and consume electricity and could be used for a wider variety of use cases. 

CFC members can watch a replay of the September 13 Financial Webinar Series, “Can a Virtual Power Plant Enhance Member Engagement?” for a high-level overview of VPPs. The broadcast also explores how one Texas cooperative has enhanced member engagement and improved reliability through its own innovative VPP pilot called the Energy Saver Program. 

John Padalino, general counsel and chief administrative officer, Bandera Electric Cooperative, and CFC Director of Utility Research & Policy Brian Sloboda discuss the key differences between a VPP and past demand-response programs and describe how VPP pilot programs are working. 

CFC Publishes New VPP Issue Brief

CFC published a new issue brief available to CFC members, “Co-ops See Movement Toward Virtual Power Plants.” The publication provides an overview of VPPs, technologies, use cases, pilot program results and an electric cooperative case study.

The case study spotlights Bandera Electric Cooperative (BEC), a Texas-based distribution system with 28,000 members and more than 41,000 active meters across seven counties in Central Texas. The cooperative employs 130 people, and operates and maintains more than 4,800 miles of distribution lines, 106 miles of transmission lines and 2,500 miles of fiber. BEC’s broadband business serves 12,000 subscribers. 

BEC has developed a member-centric approach to energy management and the application of the VPP concept. BEC staff sought to create a program that focused on education and empowerment to meet members’ needs. The cooperative also focuses on the “sovereignty of the interconnection.” This ensures that BEC is able to obtain the necessary aggregate data to maintain grid reliability rather than relying on third-party vendors to obtain aggregate data on behind-the-meter devices. 

BEC’s Energy Saver Program is the starting point for its members. Members receive an energy audit at no cost. After the audit, they can choose to participate in the cooperative’s Apolloware program.