Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Tesla Virtual Power Plant in CA

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
The VPP is part of the PUC's Emergency Load Reduction Program (ELRP).


Don't expect to be paid a lot. There is an Annual Dispatch Limit of 60 hours in a single year. So only $120/year.
The expectation is that there would be 7 events during a year or 8.6 kWh per event before hitting the limit which seems low unless the events are an hour long if you have two PWs.
 
How does this work for SGIP subsidized powerwalls? We currently charge up the 3 power walls from solar until 3pm (EV2-A plan) and start powering the home from the powerwall the rest of the day or until powerresserve is met (20%) whatever comes first, while contributing all solar to the grid at $0.57/kWh or so. So we dont deplete the powerwall directly into the grid. In exchange for that configuration we got 1 of the 3 power walls for free basically.

Now with VPP, I read it means you get paid if the powerwall depletes into the grid on top of your normal contribution, and only the difference is subset to the $2/kWh. So at 3pm when solar is 7kW to the grid the VPP may send more from the powerwall directly ? Then I run out of being able to use the battery earlier, and will have to pull $0.57/kWh power afterwards, but thats fine because I got paid $2.00/kWh for the now missing energy ?
 

Attachments

  • 2C577871-83C1-49E0-9D43-DB3A5E5F861A.png
    2C577871-83C1-49E0-9D43-DB3A5E5F861A.png
    893.4 KB · Views: 55
The VPP is part of the PUC's Emergency Load Reduction Program (ELRP).


Don't expect to be paid a lot. There is an Annual Dispatch Limit of 60 hours in a single year. So only $120/year.
From the linked page
The ELRP event can last for a minimum of 1 hour on any given day, and a maximum of 5 hours per day. The ELRP can be used up to 60 hours per year, and there is no limitation to calling the program on consecutive days.
The 60 hours is time not kWh. So if you can contribute as much kW as you want during those hours. With a 10kW discharge it would be a max of 600 kWh which would be worth $1,200.
 
  • Like
Reactions: astrorob
Just opened my app and there was a popup for VPP. There was an estimate that I would get $9 or $1 per event which I am assuming is based on my current reserve level of 80% that I would lower down to 10% before an event to maximize the value for exporting. After I submitted the enrollment there is now a new Virtual Power Plant line item below the system graphic.
  • Energy
  • Impact
  • Virtual Power Plant
  • Settings
  • Go Off-Grid
  • Support
  • Documents

Mine also just popped up. It estimated I'd get $57 per event with something like 7 events predicted.
 
How does this work for SGIP subsidized powerwalls? We currently charge up the 3 power walls from solar until 3pm (EV2-A plan) and start powering the home from the powerwall the rest of the day or until powerresserve is met (20%) whatever comes first, while contributing all solar to the grid at $0.57/kWh or so. So we dont deplete the powerwall directly into the grid. In exchange for that configuration we got 1 of the 3 power walls for free basically.

Now with VPP, I read it means you get paid if the powerwall depletes into the grid on top of your normal contribution, and only the difference is subset to the $2/kWh. So at 3pm when solar is 7kW to the grid the VPP may send more from the powerwall directly ? Then I run out of being able to use the battery earlier, and will have to pull $0.57/kWh power afterwards, but thats fine because I got paid $2.00/kWh for the now missing energy ?
When did you get SGIP? My SGIP requirements (from 2018) are just 52 full discharges a year and signing up on a TOU plan. It doesn't matter when those discharges happen, nor does it matter what the reserve is set to.

The VPP will just dump more energy from your battery to the grid during the event, so it will actually help you meet the SGIP requirement more quickly. You've got the calculation right on the benefit of discharging for $2/kWh rather than discharging to save $.57/kWh. If you're on NEM2 you might end up paying extra non-bypassable charges because you'll have to pull from the grid, but that amount is small compared to the extra $1.43/kWh you're getting on the VPP. Note that they say the VPP events are between 4pm and 9pm, so they'll always be during peak hours.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Skryll
Got the popup yesterday, $72/yr - yeah, no thanks. If I'm going to do anything with my "excess" production besides offsetting winter solar generation, it will be charging my EV.
I believe the exports will still be credited to your NEM balance, so you would still be offsetting winter use with the program. The main difference would be the time when the energy is exported. If in a lower TOU period, you'd get fewer credits, but the program seems to be set up to avoid that.