VPP Acceleration Initiative
Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) are the future of the clean energy transition.
VPPs aggregate distributed energy resources—such as solar, batteries, EVs, smart appliances, and flexible commercial loads—to provide cost-effective benefits to the grid and to communities. VPPs can deliver reduced peak demand and grid stress, lower system and customer costs, improved reliability during extreme events, fewer costly transmission and distribution upgrades, and more clean energy benefits to communities, including low- and moderate-income (LMI) households.
The VPP Acceleration Initiative helps states, local governments, communities, and financial institutions deploy and scale VPPs—advancing affordability, strengthening resilience and grid reliability, and supporting decarbonization. Our goal is to enable gigawatt-scale VPP deployment nationwide by 2028 by actively supporting the public sector and using replicable models that work across diverse markets and regulatory contexts.
A Trusted National Partnership
The Initiative is led by partners with deep, complementary expertise.
State clean energy policy and program delivery
Local government implementation
Community-based and environmental justice engagement
Collectively, we form a trusted national partnership with deep complementary expertise to accelerate VPP program design and deployment.
Who can participate in the VPP Acceleration Initiative?
- States: State energy offices, public utility commissions, state green banks, state renewable energy funds, independent state agencies
- Local governments: Cities, counties, and municipal utilities
- Communities: Community-based organizations and environmental justice groups
- Capital providers: Community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and lending institutions
What kind of support does the VPP Acceleration Initiative provide?
The Initiative delivers coordinated national support with local impact through four integrated strategies:
- Technical Assistance: Hands-on support to states and local governments for VPP program design and deployment, including consumer protection, equity-centered implementation, incentive rates and mechanisms, grid services studies, and other regulatory and research support.
- Convenings & Peer Learning: State and local government working groups, peer-learning cohorts, national summits, and deal rooms connecting projects with capital.
- Replicable Models & Toolkits: Model programs, policies, tariffs, procurement frameworks, equity guidelines, and resources for states, cities, and lenders.
- Community Engagement & Financing: Support for community-driven VPP deployment and connections between communities, states, and CDFIs to enable equitable VPP participation.
Request assistance
States (including staff of state energy offices, public utility commissions, state green banks, state renewable energy funds, independent state agencies), community-based organizations, local governments, and others may request tailored technical assistance by emailing [email protected]. In your email, please explain your role along with a clear description of your request and how it will help accelerate VPP deployment.