Google is funding a three-year, 100-MW virtual power plant in the PJM Interconnection to meet data center demand, partnering with VPP operator Voltus to aggregate distributed energy resources. The company aims to make its data centers flexible and cost-effective by paying customers to shift electricity usage, addressing rising electricity costs and aggressive load growth from AI data centers in PJM. The pressure to meet rising demand is leading to increased utility capital spending on new gas-fired power plants, potentially impacting climate goals. The article highlights the need for a market overhaul to address peak demand driving up costs, with the partnership providing a repeatable path for other large energy users to follow and encouraging collaboration and transparency with utilities to build a multidirectional grid system.
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/google-virtual-power-plant-vpp-pjm-voltus/821838/