Bruce Saller, ADVANCE CONTRIBUTOR
Dominion Energy has submitted a Virtual Power Plant pilot program to the State Corporation Commission which provides incentives to residential customers to help reduce peak demand. The programs include:
Residential Smart Thermostat.
For customers with Wi-Fi-enabled thermostats who agree to allow Dominion to gradually raise the temperature setting during peak events. $25 for enrolling, and $25 annually.
Electric Vehicle Charger.
For customers with Level 2 (240 Volt) chargers who allow Dominion to turn them off during peak events. $40 annually.
Peak Time Reduction.
For customers who voluntarily reduce their load when requested by Dominion (via text, e-mail or phone message). $28 annually for customers who reduce their load at least ten times.
Battery Storage.
For customers who install a battery storage system and allow Dominion to disconnect utility power during peak events. The battery system would provide power during this period. Dominion recommends a 13.5 kilowatt-hour battery system which costs around $20,000. Customers receive $1000 for enrolling and $294 in following years. There are additional benefits to having a battery storage system. You can save money by enrolling in Dominion’s Off-Peak rate plan, charging the battery off-peak, and using the battery during the peak hours. This should save you several hundred dollars annually. In addition, the battery storage system acts as a backup generator, so you will have power for several hours during power losses.
These programs will go into effect after the proposal has been approved by the SCC, which should occur within a couple of months. The Advance will provide an update when they’re approved.
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Bruce Saller is a retired systems engineer with degrees in electrical engineering and computer science.
They're at it again -- trying to make the little guys change their behavior. This excellent essay is a good complement to this one: https://www.fxbgadvance.com/p/the-corporate-environmental-blame