Never heard of Virtual Power Plants? Neither had I. Eduardo Garcia has the low-down:
A Virtual Power Plant (VPP) can be used to collectively manage these smart devices [EVs, rooftop solar, batteries, etc] ― also known as “Distributed Energy Resources” ― to boost the amount of renewable energy that enters the grid at times of peak production, and lower electricity demand when clean energy is scarce. Thus they can allow wind and solar to take center stage, regardless of whether the wind blows or the sun shines. [Distilled]
Notice how they mix sources, reserves, and consumers, while using a label implying only sources. It’s often said words are important, and they sure are. They shape discourse and even thinking, and while high level specialists learn to ignore blunder-words, increasingly the mid-level folks will try to use words, such as VPP, to think, and may shape a discourse that diverges from that of the specialist.
Or, in this case, maybe not. An advanced EV can function as both a consumer and as a reserve via the capability dispensing electricity back into the grid. But it’s worth keeping one’s antenna up for potential misnomers such as this one.
