title: More states look to virtual power plants to fight rising electric bills. A dozen US state legislatures are pushing measures to launch or expand programs that rely on customers’ thermostats, batteries, and EVs to relieve the grid.
author: u/Splenda
contenttype: redditpost
publication: r/energy
published: 2026-02-26T13:36:39+00:00
sourceurl: https://www.reddit.com/r/energy/comments/1rfaccs/morestateslooktovirtualpowerplantsto_fight/
word_count: 135
Link: https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/virtual-power-plants/more-states-look-to-virtual-power-plants
Score: 82 | Comments: 32 | Subreddit: r/energy
Top Comments
u/FishermanConnect9076 (6 pts):
That’s right suck up all the grids energy and then push the deficit on to the consumer to make it up. What a joke.
u/dordofthelings (5 pts):
Now who in their right mind, that built their system to support themselves and their family would want to share this with government regulation and utilities?
u/Ok_Chard2094 (7 pts):
The idea is good in theory. Increase the average throughput of the grid without increasing the peak capacity.
Peak capacity increases cost money, as these require new infrastructure.
Moving some of the peak loads to off-peak times frees up capacity for other users. EV and home battery charging, water heating and (to some extent) HVAC can be moved to off peak without too much trouble.