Victoria prepares to unleash a virtual power plant revolution

Environment Victoria today welcomed the announcement of funding for a new Virtual Power Plant (VPP) to be managed by Origin Energy. The VPP will provide 650 customers with solar PV and batteries, which are linked together to provide energy to the grid when we need it most.

“Virtual power plants are a new, smart way to build a power station. By linking houses with solar and storage together we’re able to deliver lower bills across the network and make sure we have enough clean power when we most need it,” said Environment Victoria Public Policy and Advocacy Manager, Dean Rizzetti.

“Today’s announcement is a first step on the path to building a large-scale Virtual Power Plant for Victoria. It gives us a chance to test new ideas and help customers become more familiar with new technology.

“But today’s announcement is only a taste of what’s possible. Labor’s plan to put solar on 650,000 Victorian households over the next ten years provides an incredible opportunity to build a large-scale VPP that is able to make a major contribution to Victoria’s energy supply.

“We’ve already seen the incredible popularity of a VPP in South Australia, where people jumped at the chance to be part of a VPP. South Australia’s plant is estimated to provide at least 250 megawatts of clean energy and reduce household electricity bills by around $90 million a year across the State.

“In the coming months, we’ll be looking out for more ambitious renewable energy and storage commitments from all sides of politics. This election has already become a race to the top for clean energy, given the opportunity renewables with storage offers to drive down prices and cut carbon pollution,” said Dean Rizzetti.