Virtual Power Plants Essentials

Virtual Power Plants Essentials

The Dollars & Sense

January 31-February 1, 2022 | Online :: Central Time

This course will take the mystery out of virtual power plants (VPPs) – the software-and-wire linked networks of residential and commercial electricity generators as well as demand response resources that, aggregated together, can offer grid supply and services.  It will address their potential contribution to grid resiliency, the financial dividends they may yield to participants and adopters, and their deployment in the wholesale and retail electricity markets.

Learning Outcomes  

Attendees at this course will:  

  • Discuss the fundamentals of how virtual power plants (VPPs) operate  
  • Identify VPP aggregation products and services
  • Examine modeling of VPPs
  • Review fundamental design and system integration requirements of distribution and large-scale VPP grid applications 
  • Discuss the potential impact of FERC Orders 841 and 2222 on the participation of VPPs in various ISOs
  • Evaluate market designs that currently recognize the participation of VPPs
  • Assess VPP revenue flow to wholesale (utilities) and retail customers
  • Examine VPP utility case studies
  • Analyze VPP developer/sponsor financial model

Agenda

Monday, January 31, 2022 : Central Time

8:45 – 9:00 a.m.
Log In and Welcome

12:30 – 1:15 p.m.
Lunch Break

9:00 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Course Timing

 

9:00 – 9:20 a.m. :: Overview and Introductions

9:20 – 10:45 a.m. :: Foundations of Virtual Power Plants (VPPs)

  • Fundamentals of how virtual power plants operate  
  • VPP aggregation products and services
  • Aggregating different types of power assets
  • Data acquisition, metering, monitoring and validation
  • Software component(s)
  • Remote control of power assets
  • Trading optimizations

10:45 – 11:00 a.m. :: Morning Break

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. :: VPP & Dispatch Scenarios

  • VPP market grid applications and value propositions
    • NWA/ CapEx deferral
    • Resource adequacy (reserves)
    • Wholesale energy arbitrage
    • Ramp and frequency response
    • Peaking power plant replacement
  • Status of VPP adoptions in North America

12:30 – 1:15 p.m. :: Lunch Break

1:15 – 2:45 p.m. :: How VPPs Get from “Here to There”

  • Review fundamental design and system integration requirements of distribution and large-scale VPP grid applications 
  • Utility modeling of VPPs
  • State regulatory commission policies, requirements
  • Market design and agents
    • Utility
    • Grid operator
    • Resource Suppliers (retail, C&I customers)
    • Aggregators
    • Software provider(s)
    • OEMs
  • Contract and coordination between agents and utility
  • Interface device w/utility meter
    • DERMs
    • Telemetry
    • Communications protocols
  • Coordination w/retail customers
    • Establishing and communicating the value proposition
    • Explaining the rate formula and impact
  • Locational considerations in non-market areas
  • Barriers to overcome

2:45 – 3:00 p.m. :: Afternoon Break

3:00 – 4:45 p.m. :: VPP Outlook in the ISOs

  • Evaluate wholesale and retail electricity market designs that currently recognize the participation of VPPs
    • Supply side resource?
    • Demand side resource?
    • Which segment(s) of the market?
    • Dispatchable?
  • Prospective impact of FERC Orders 841 and 2222 on the participation of VPPs in various ISOs

4:45 p.m. :: Course Adjourns for Day

 

Tuesday, February 1, 2022 : Central Time

8:45 – 9:00 a.m.
Log In

9:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Course Timing

 

9:00 – 10:30 a.m. :: Utility Case Studies

  • Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO)
  • Southern California Edison (SCE)
  • Green Mtn Power (VT)
  • ConEdison

10:30 – 10:45 a.m. :: Morning Break

10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. :: VPP By the Numbers

  • Revenue flow to utilities, commercial and retail customers
  • Developer/sponsor financial model

12:15 p.m. :: Course Adjournment

Instructors

Randy Robinson, Project Manager, Southern California Edison

Randy Robinson Jr is a Product Manager at Southern California Edison, where he focuses on early and mid-stage product and program development. His work centers around utilizing emerging technologies to create impactful products and programs that help customers better manage their energy usage, reduce their carbon footprint, and help to contribute to managing the energy grid. He currently leads SCE’s Virtual Power Plant and Smart Speaker pilot, part of a larger strategy to understand how energy fits in the connected home ecosystem.


Sean Eade, Senior Director – Innovation & Digital Grid Solutions, TRC Companies

Sean Eade is Senior Director of Innovation & Digital Grid Solutions at TRC Companies, where he has worked since 2018.  In that role, he advises utilities and suppliers on VPP solution design, selection and system integration.  He joined the firm from Accenture, where he served as Director of Smart Grid Distributed Energy Solutions.  Prior to that, he was on the staff of OMNETRIC Group in the role of Portfolio Manager for D(E)RMS Smart Grid Solutions and at Siemens IC Smart Grid Services as Software & Systems Architect and Senior Solution Architect.


Jim Weaver, Principal Solution Architect – Enterprise and Product Architecture, New York Power Authority (NYPA)

Jim Weaver is Principal Solution Architect at New York Power Authority (NYPA) and focuses on developing easy to understand, business architecture-based, high-level designs and solutions architectures for the utility.  The EP&A group he leads uses standardized components, reusable patterns, and templates to improve solution delivery at NYPA. Mr Weaver’s primary responsibility is to ensure projects and technologies are aligned to NYPA’s enterprise architecture standards and support the organization’s strategic and tactical goals. Most recently he has been focusing on SCADA & historian services, VPP/CERMS Control Systems, and advance AI/ML projects. Mr. Weaver has 25-plus experience in IT, utilities and the public sector. 


Derek Kirchner, Senior Consultant – Digital Grid Solutions, TRC Companies

Derek Kirchner is Senior Consultant of Digital Grid Solutions for TRC Companies.  His focus since joining the firm in 2021 is on implementation of distributed energy resources (DERs) and distributed energy resources management systems (DERMS).  Previously, Mr. Kirchner

served as Director of Demand Response at Consumers Energy for two years.  Preceding that he worked at DTE Energy for nearly two decades, first as Principal Program Advisor – C&I Energy Efficiency programs then as Regional Manager and Principal Supervisor for Demand Response.


Stephen B. Wemple, General Manager – Utility of the Future

Stephen Wemple is the General Manager of conEdison’s Utility of the Future Team, responsible for the energy policy issues associated with New York’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) proceeding.  Prior to joining the Utility of Future Team, he was Vice President of Regulatory Affairs representing conEdison’s non-utility affiliates – Con Edison Development, Con Edison Energy and Con Edison Solutions – in state and federal regulatory proceedings.  Mr. Wemple has been an active participant in the New York, New England and PJM energy markets and is a prior Chair of the NYISO’s Business Issues Committee.  He has worked for the conEdison family of companies for more than 30 years with responsibilities ranging from resource planning for steam-electric generation, the design and implementation of energy efficiency programs, the development of retail access programs as well as marketing and business development for the wholesale and retail commodity businesses. 


Molly Jerrard, Director – Wholesale Markets & Asset Management, Enel X

Molly Jerrard is Director of Wholesale Markets & Asset Management at Enel X, an energy management solutions company.  She has worked there for the past three years, serving in multiple positions for the Energy Markets division.  Preceding that, Ms. Jerrard worked for six years at EnerNOC, which was acquired by Enel X in late 2018.   

Online Delivery

We will be using Microsoft Teams to facilitate your participation in the upcoming event. You do not need to have an existing Teams account in order to participate in the broadcast – the course will play in your browser and you will have the option of using a microphone to speak with the room and ask questions, or type any questions in via the chat window and our on-site representative will relay your question to the instructor.

  • IMPORTANT NOTE: After November 30 you will not be able to join a Teams meeting using Internet Explorer 11. Microsoft recommends downloading and installing the Teams app if possible. You may also use the Edge browser or Chrome.
  • You will receive a meeting invitation will include a link to join the meeting.
  • Separate meeting invitations will be sent for the morning and afternoon sessions of the course.
    • You will need to join the appropriate meeting at the appropriate time.
  • If you are using a microphone, please ensure that it is muted until such time as you need to ask a question.
  • The remote meeting connection will be open approximately 30 minutes before the start of the course. We encourage you to connect as early as possible in case you experience any unforeseen problems.

Register

Please Note: This event is being conducted entirely online. All attendees will connect and attend from their computer, one connection per purchase. For details please see our FAQ

If you are unable to attend at the scheduled date and time, we make recordings available to all attendees for 7 days after the event

REGISTER NOW FOR THIS EVENT:

Virtual Power Plants Essentials

January 31-February 1, 2022 | Online
Individual attendee(s) - $ 1195.00 each

Volume pricing also available

Individual attendee tickets can be mixed with ticket packs for complete flexibility

Pack of 5 attendees - $ 4,780.00 (20% discount)
Pack of 10 attendees - $ 8,365.00 (30% discount)
Pack of 20 attendees - $ 14,340.00 (40% discount)

Your registration may be transferred to a member of your organization up to 24 hours in advance of the event. Cancellations must be received on or before December 24, 2021 in order to be refunded and will be subject to a US $195.00 processing fee per registrant. No refunds will be made after this date. Cancellations received after this date will create a credit of the tuition (less processing fee) good toward any other EUCI event. This credit will be good for six months from the cancellation date. In the event of non-attendance, all registration fees will be forfeited. In case of conference cancellation, EUCIs liability is limited to refund of the event registration fee only. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as complaints and refunds, please contact our offices at 303-770-8800

CEUs

Credits

AP_Logo

EUCI is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training.

EUCI is authorized by IACET to offer 1.0 CEUs for this event.

Instructional Methods  

This program will use PowerPoint presentations, case studies and group discussions. 

Requirements for a Successful Completion of Program  

Participants must log in each day and be in attendance for the entirety of the course to be eligible for continuing education credit. 


Upon successful completion of this event, program participants interested in receiving CPE credits will receive a certificate of completion.

Course CPE Credits: 11.0
There is no prerequisite for this Course.
Program field of study: Specialized Knowledge
Program Level: Basic
Delivery Method: Group Internet Based
Advanced Preperation: None

CpeEUCI is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its web site: www.nasbaregistry.org

 

 

Who Should Attend  

  • DR and DER aggregators
  • Utility procurement officers, project managers, financial analysts and resource planners
  • State commission and regulatory staff
  • Power traders
  • Utility procurement officers, project managers, financial analysts and resource planners
  • Grid operators