The California Energy Commission (CEC) selected OhmConnect to be the only provider in two pilot programs with the new Demand Side Grid Support (DSGS) Program. OhmConnect will participate in the DSGS’ Incremental Market-Integrated Demand Response Capacity Pilot as a residential aggregator providing flexible demand when the grid is most stressed. The program provides incentives to customers who reduce their energy consumption at peak times and especially during extreme weather events.
OhmConnect will work with SunPower to participate in the DSGS Market-Aware Behind-the-Meter Battery Storage Pilot. SunPower customers enrolled in the OhmConnect virtual power plant (VPP) program can earn more for providing stored solar power back to the grid when demand for electricity is at its highest.
We profiled OhmConnect in this article on demand response solutions.
“As the State looks for solutions to stabilize the grid, we’re pleased that the CEC has put its trust in OhmConnect and our proven success as a residential aggregator,” said Cisco DeVries, CEO, OhmConnect. “Being the only company chosen for two pilot programs is a clear indicator that our model is effective for customers and critical to the grid. Our community of energy savers – a virtual power plant – has demonstrated a unique ability to act in real time to keep the lights on.”
The DSGS is part of a suite of programs to alleviate tight energy supplies on the grid caused by heat waves, wildfires, and other ongoing impacts of climate change. The DSGS program will offer incentives to electric customers that provide load reduction and backup generation to support the state’s electrical grid during extreme events, reducing the risk of blackouts.
“Battery storage is a vital part of the energy ecosystem. It provides the grid an ample supply of on-demand energy that keeps the power flowing in neighborhoods across the state,” said Shawn Fitzgerald, vice president of corporate development and product strategy at SunPower. “SunPower customers in California are playing a critical role in keeping the state’s electric grid stable and resilient.”
OhmConnect’s community of energy savers played a critical role in the unprecedented August 2020 heat wave, helping the state avoid a blackout by reducing an estimated 1 GWh of energy, which is equivalent to taking 600K homes off of the grid for an hour. Energy savers collectively earned $1.3 million from OhmConnect for their efforts and also helped prevent six additional days of blackouts during the heatwave.
During the nine-day heatwave in September 2022, OhmConnect’s community received over $2.7 million in rewards and saved about 1.5 GigaWatt hours of energy, the equivalent of taking 1 million homes off the grid for an hour.
— Solar Builder magazine
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