What does VPP mean! Does such a virtual power plant have a future?

　　VPP is a kind of advanced information communication technology and software system that realizes the aggregation and coordination and optimization of DER such as distributed power supply, energy storage system, controllable load, and electric vehicle. It is equivalent to a special power plant, participating in the coordinated management of the electricity market and grid operation. It aggregates a large number of distributed energy sources (DER) together for coordinated operation, and uses solar energy and smart appliances on the customer site to enable DER to respond to grid needs in a timely manner, such as frequency response or peak service.

　　(How to create a distributed energy resource)

　　The core of the VPP concept can be summarized as "communication" and "aggregation". The key technologies mainly include coordinated control technology, smart metering technology, and information and communication technology. The most attractive function of VPP is that it can aggregate DERs to participate in the operation of the electricity market and ancillary service market, and provide management and ancillary services for the distribution network and transmission grid.

　　The idea of VPP to solve the power crisis is reflected in its great adaptability to the power supply and demand situation. It is obviously inappropriate to attribute the “power shortage” problem that plagues us completely to the scale of power generation. Low energy efficiency and serious waste of resources are undoubtedly one of the crux of power shortage. The other side of high energy consumption is the high potential for power saving, and the efficiency of lighting equipment, boilers, refrigeration and air conditioning needs to be improved.

　　The solution of the "virtual power plant" has great market potential. It is undoubtedly a good choice when faced with the thorny problem of "power shortage and low energy efficiency". So, is this idea that only conceived in the past is being practiced now? The answer is yes.

　　A: Symphony project in Western Australia

　　In Perth, Western Power, utility company Synergy, and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) are launching a two-year AUD 35.5 million (USD 25 million) pilot project Symphony VPP.

　　The Symphony VPP project plans to coordinate the use of about 900 DER assets in more than 500 households and businesses, aggregate power generation, and dispatch excess supplies to the network as needed. The pilot will first be carried out in areas with high rooftop solar usage, because one-third of Western Australia's homes have solar energy, totaling nearly 2GW, and nearly 50% of homes in Harrisdale and Piara Waters have installed solar energy.

　　Western Power, a state-owned power network provider, stated that due to low or fluctuating energy demand on the local grid, the high proportion of distributed distributed energy "posed a risk to the stability of the state grid." With VPP, DER assets will be more effectively integrated into the grid, reducing system costs for consumers, freeing up network capacity, allowing more renewable energy to enter the grid, and paving the way for similar development in the state.

　　The plan is one of the actions specified in the Western Australia Government's Distributed Energy Resource Roadmap. In addition, it also launched a "community battery"-a 1.34MW shared-use battery storage system in the suburbs of Perth.

　　B: California VPP pilot project

　　Battery storage and VPP company Sunverge is working with LG Electronics to launch a pilot program in the service area of California investor-owned utility company (IOU) Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). Combining LG's energy storage system and Sunverge's DER software platform, the project will promote solar photovoltaic plus energy storage for 100 households in the PG&E service area, and the power engineering company Eaton will provide energy managers.

　　Sunverge CEO Martin Milani said that this will be a win-win cooperation that can help utility companies transition to a more flexible and flexible distribution network. "The project will evaluate many design elements, including time of use and real-time pricing, load shaping and transfer, demand-based response, and ancillary services such as emergency reserve, frequency adjustment and voltage support," Milani said.

　　The VPP pilot project is expected to start and run in selected households in northern and central California in early 2022.

　　Lithium-ion battery (LIB) has become the main energy storage solution in modern social life. Among them, lithium iron phosphate batteries are a perfect replacement for lead-acid batteries, and they are the first choice for grid-connected peak shaving, off-grid energy storage, photovoltaic energy storage, UPS, data center and other industries.

　　Solar power generation system with lithium battery energy storage system is a very promising clean energy.