Tesla Virtual Power Plant in CA

[cwied]

Perhaps, the VPP export is compared with normal export but during the same time window as the VPP event. They were mostly late in the day, after solar export and after my Export Everything usually ended.

AFAIK, the baseline is computed on an hour-by-hour basis, so if you normally export earlier, your baseline could be 0.

 

[garrity]

CAISO EEA Watch NOTICE [202302774]

An Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) Watch has been declared for the California ISO for the CAISO Grid,
effective 07/26/2023 18:00 through 07/26/2023 22:00.


So what are chances of VPP event today?

 

[Redhill_qik]

It did not seem to work that way for me last year. When I got the check for last year, I went back and added up my export during the events. The compensation was $2 per kWh. And I was also compensated at the usual NEM retail rate for those exports.

Perhaps, the VPP export is compared with normal export but during the same time window as the VPP event. They were mostly late in the day, after solar export and after my Export Everything usually ended.

When we started getting our VPP checks earlier this year nothing seemed to add up as expected and everyone got a little more than then they expected to get including myself. I know that one or two people here claimed that it matched exactly in some way, but every time I tried applying their rule it would not work with my data or others.

@holeydonut That is math is codified in the CPUC rules that governed the VPP program last year. It does incentivize behavior as you describe and I fully admit to adjusting my Powerwall settings to maximize the potential VPP return.

 

[yblaser]

CAISO EEA Watch NOTICE [202302774]

An Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) Watch has been declared for the California ISO for the CAISO Grid,
effective 07/26/2023 18:00 through 07/26/2023 22:00.


So what are chances of VPP event today?

Tesla app just sent a notification that there is an event scheduled today from 6-9pm.

 

[hiddensolar]

Another event tonight!? What is up?

 

[Redhill_qik]

Tesla app just sent a notification that the is an event scheduled today from 6-9pm.

Finally some advance notice.

This changes the behavior again:

• Powerwalls not at 100% are now importing from the grid to charge and I see 15.36kW going into them
• Powerwall will not discharge to cover house loads from 4:00-6:00pm saving all of their storage to discharge starting at 6:00pm

 

[spsheridan]

Another event tonight!? What is up?

Yep, another event is scheduled for today.

 

[BGbreeder]

Another event tonight!? What is up?

If you look at caiso.com, the demand is just enough to eat into the resource adequacy credits (home batteries, and other offline, it possible power sources). The area of purple overlap with the dotted green projected demand line at the red arrow below. That triggers the VPP request.

 

[tivoboy]

Another event tonight!? What is up?

There is definitely not a surge in the Bay Area at this point, Southern CA is a different story. I have the feeling that CAISO MAY be just testing the VPP solution for communications, triggering, draw down, adherence, payments, etc.

 

[evermore]

If you look at caiso.com, the demand is just enough to eat into the resource adequacy credits (home batteries, and other offline, it possible power sources). The area of purple overlap with the dotted green projected demand line at the red arrow below. That triggers the VPP request.

On the chart below that, it looks like something similar is currently forecast for tomorrow.

 

[hiddensolar]

There is definitely not a surge in the Bay Area at this point, Southern CA is a different story. I have the feeling that CAISO MAY be just testing the VPP solution for communications, triggering, draw down, adherence, payments, etc.

I have been heads down at work and just looked at the weather for Southern California. Now the vpp makes more sense to me.

 

[charlesj]

I received a text, or notice earlier from the ISO app I downloaded yesterday, Checked Tesla and had a note, no sound alert, that even is scheduled for tonight.
Battery started topping off to get ready for tonight.

 

[Tim-in-CA]

The VPP compensation is based on difference for the PowerWall exports during the VPP event versus the baseline period in the days prior to the event (the 10 weekdays or the 4 weekend days). Reducing your AC usage during the VPP event helps the grid, but it does not change your VPP compensation.

That’s not the case for SCE to my knowledge

 

[Tim-in-CA]

VPP event last night was not announced early enough to be fully charged. Strange. I hope in the future they will give advanced warning.

My single PW is set to Export Everything, and these days dumps about 30% onto the grid during the 4-9 pm peak period. If a VPP event is announced in advance, I might even prefer to draw during the peak to cover the house consumption so as to have a full charge for the event.

Is anyone keeping or publishing a log of these events? I think I found one last year, but I don't recall where.

I actually got a notification at 12:45 today stating that an event would occur from 6 - 9 pm today. System is keeping the PWs at 100% at the moment

 

[sorka]

It did not seem to work that way for me last year. When I got the check for last year, I went back and added up my export during the events. The compensation was $2 per kWh. And I was also compensated at the usual NEM retail rate for those exports.

Perhaps, the VPP export is compared with normal export but during the same time window as the VPP event. They were mostly late in the day, after solar export and after my Export Everything usually ended.

Same here. And it wasn't just the powerwall discharge. I got the $2 for every kwh exported to the grid during the event whether it came from solar or battery (i.e. both combined).

 

[sorka]

I was at 98% when the pre-event triggered so I didn't pull much off the grid to get to 100%. However, my wife was out today running errands and I'm at work so the AC hasn't been running. Now running the AC flat out until 6 pm to pre-cool the house as much as possible.

 

[jboy210]

I actually got a notification at 12:45 today stating that an event would occur from 6 - 9 pm today. System is keeping the PWs at 100% at the moment

I got the same notice. I was pre-cooling the house until 3:30 with PWs at 100% and pulling from the grid. I checked the app and saw the notice. I love it when a plan comes together, even if it is just a happy accident.

We will likely not need the power here in the East Bay with temps predicted to be mid-60s by 8 PM, so hopefully, those kWs will help someone else out.

 

[charlesj]

Same here. And it wasn't just the powerwall discharge. I got the $2 for every kwh exported to the grid during the event whether it came from solar or battery (i.e. both combined).

Hard to come from solar when VPP is so late in the evening.

 

[jboy210]

Hard to come from solar when VPP is so late in the evening.

Space mirrors?

 

[holeydonut]

I got the same notice. I was pre-cooling the house until 3:30 with PWs at 100% and pulling from the grid. I checked the app and saw the notice. I love it when a plan comes together, even if it is just a happy accident.

We will likely not need the power here in the East Bay with temps predicted to be mid-60s by 8 PM, so hopefully, those kWs will help someone else out.

I like how you're confident that your specifically flakey grid will actually be operation/online for you to export to it during the VPP.