As the number of installed residential Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) and Electric Vehicle Chargers (EVCs) continues to increase, there is an opportunity to leverage these resources for the benefit of asset owners, energy customers, and Local Distribution Companies (LDCs). The integration of residential DERs (Distributed Energy Resources) and EVCs into Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) presents an array of benefits, including reduced energy costs, the creation of new revenue streams, and the ability to alleviate stress on distribution infrastructure promoting a more stable intelligent grid. Local energy generation and energy storage systems are utilized to support customer energy requirements and enable selective grid interaction. As the adoption of Electric Vehicles increases, there is an opportunity to improve systems benefits by managing EVCs and DERs together. A VPP can simultaneously coordinate the behaviour of all sites under control, respond to real-time market conditions, and interact with grid operators. DERBI will demonstrate the benefits of commercially viable residential VPP systems for energy consumers and grid operators in Alberta.
