# All About Virtual Power Plants (Australia) ## Метаданные - **Канал:** SolarQuotes - **YouTube:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXknxKsr_po ## Содержание ### [0:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXknxKsr_po) Segment 1 (00:00 - 05:00) Battery demand has gone bananas since the battery rebate dropped. And people aren't buying small ones either. We're talking 30, 40, even 50 kwatt hours. Now, most homes only need around 16 to 20 kwatt hours a day. So, all that extra capacity, it's just sitting there waiting to be useful. One way to put it to work is by joining a virtual power plant, a VPP. That's where your battery teams up with thousands of others to help the grid when it's under pressure, and you can get paid for it. In this video, I'll explain what a VPP is, how they make you money, the pros and cons of joining one, state-based incentives you might be able to claim, and finally, whether I reckon you should jump in or steer clear. Let's get to it. A VPP is a network of solar systems, batteries, and sometimes even controlled loads like electric hot water. All of these are linked together and controlled by a central operator. When energy is scarce and prices are sky-high, the operator discharges thousands of batteries into the grid. And when electricity is dirt cheap, the operator can tell those batteries to start charging. But it's not just about arbiting electricity prices. — The grid runs at a frequency of 50 hertz. That's the rhythm of our electricity supply. If too many people turn things on at once, that frequency drops. If there's more power supplied than demanded, it rises. Normally, big power stations adjust their output to keep that frequency steady. But now, batteries in VPPS can help, too. And they do it fast. — Up and atom. — When the grid frequency drops, a VPP tells your battery to put out a bit of power. When it rises, your battery can soak some up. All those tiny nudges from thousands of home batteries add up, helping keep the grid stable within a fraction of a second. It sounds clever, but there's a catch. When you join a VPP, you do hand over control of your battery to that central operator. Generally, an algorithm run by an energy retailer like Origin, AGL, or new kid on the block, Amber. In return, you get cash. Show me the money. Let's run through the upsides first. Some VPPs offer upfront discounts on a new battery. All of them pay you a premium for discharging your battery when prices are spiking. Some pay you to charge your battery or your car when prices go negative or charge for cheap or free. A few VPs offer fixed monthly or quarterly credits just for being part of the program. Sounds good so far, but there is another side to the coin. Many VPPs are bring your own battery. No discounts and not every battery qualifies. It needs to be technically compatible with the VPP so it can be controlled. And the big one, you lose control of your battery. If you have a small under 16 kWh battery, this can be a showstopper. Your VPP operator will likely want to use your battery energy at the same times that you do. So, there's an inherent conflict. But if you have a big battery, you can reserve 20 kwatt hours for your own use and let the operator have at it with their spare 10 or 20 kilowatt hours. It's win-win. Because VPPs help the grid, a few states will pay you to join one. New South Wales has a virtual power plant rebate. WA ties its state battery rebate to VPP participation, i. e. you have to join one if you want the rebate. SA also has a scheme through its reps program. My experience, I've personally been in two VPPs. First, AGL's where I got a Power Wall 2 for about 4 grand fully installed. An absolute bargain compared to the $12,000 price tag today. After my contract ended, I switched to Tesla's BPP, which at the time offered a great daytime rate, but they later hiked the prices and the deal lost its shine. And here's what I learned. Tesla often discharged my battery to the grid when I needed it for my house. That meant I was paying for power I didn't need. I left and I won't be going back unless I get a bigger battery in the future. So, would I recommend a VPP to you? Yes, but only if you've done your homework. The financial benefits right now are not earthshattering. If you choose a conventional VPP that guarantees a fixed price for battery discharges, you're probably looking at $100 to $400 extras per year. But if you're in New South Wales or WA with state payments, or if you can snag a decent upfront discount on your battery, it can be worth it. But I wouldn't sign up unless I had at least 30 kW hours of battery. If you already own a battery or about to buy one, joining the right VPP could make sense. Just don't expect it to turn your ### [5:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXknxKsr_po&t=300s) Segment 2 (05:00 - 06:00) battery into a money printing machine. Now, I want to mention Amber Electric here. They're not technically a VPP as they do give you full control of your battery, but they do expose you to the wholesale electricity prices on the grid. This means you can earn way more for your exported battery energy compared to the capped VPP plans. But you can also be caught out if power prices spike and you've got a flat battery. I'd recommend Amber only to advanced players with at least 40 kilowatt hours of battery who enjoy tracking their energy use daily. Definitely not for the set and forget types who just want to squeeze an extra bit of cash out of their battery on a regular VPP. So, here's the takeaway. VPPs can help improve battery economics, but they come with strings attached. Some offers are great, others are dodgy. Read the fine print. Incentives vary by state with New South Wales, WA, and SA leading the way. Above all, remember once you're in a VPP, your battery isn't entirely yours anymore. Conventional VPPs work well if you've got a 30 kWh plus battery, and it can work on smaller batteries if you are a very efficient home. Amber can work well on 40 kWh plus batteries if you know what you're doing. If you want to compare all the VPP programs currently available in Australia, check out my VPP comparison table on solarquot. com. au, which I've linked to in the description. Thanks for watching. --- *Источник: https://ekstraktznaniy.ru/video/44146*