The Portland General Electric (PGE) Smart Battery Pilot initially launched in fall of 2020 as a 5-year pilot program for demonstrating the use of residential batteries for grid services.
After three years of operations, the regulatory commission has allowed PGE to expand the program, enabling it to become more sophisticated and user-friendly. It also granted the utility the opportunity to incentivize its customers by inviting them to participate in a “pay for performance” format, with the goal being to develop a VPP network with battery storage. Similar to existing natural gas and coal plant facilities, the VPP network would become a power supplier during periods of intense demand on the grid.
PGE has big VPP goals, and batteries are a critical element of the transition. This session will highlight best practices for utility demand response programs using battery storage, including what PGE has learned as an early adopter.
