Energy Decision #18: Virtual Power Plants Explained: Turn Your C&I Assets Into a Revenue Stream

Virtual Power Plants are one of the most underused revenue opportunities available to commercial and industrial facilities today — and most operators have no idea their existing equipment already qualifies. This is Energy Decision #18 in the complete C&I energy management series from Tactical Energy Group. 100 decisions. Every one that matters. In this episode, Daniel Burke covers: — What a Virtual Power Plant actually is and how it works as a coordinated grid resource — Which on-site assets qualify for VPP enrollment: HVAC, batteries, EV charging, industrial mechanical equipment, and plug loads — The three grid service products a VPP sells — capacity, energy, and ancillary services — and why which ones your assets qualify for determines your compensation — Why utilities and grid operators pay VPP participants: the Brattle Group cost comparison showing VPPs cost 40% less than a gas peaker plant — The direct compensation structure versus the indirect bill effects for non-participating facilities — Named aggregators operating in this market: OhmConnect, SunRun, Leap, Autogrid, Voltus, and Tesla — The resilience value for facilities where downtime carries direct revenue loss — How VPP enrollment connects to the regulatory foundation covered in Episode 8 on FERC Order 2222 and DER aggregation Who this is for: plant managers, facility managers, and operations or finance executives at manufacturing plants, data centers, healthcare facilities, large retail operations, and educational institutions who are leaving direct compensation on the table by not enrolling existing on-site assets in a coordinated grid resource program. If you're trying to figure out how to strategically participate in a Virtual Power Plant to maximize financial returns and improve energy independence, this episode is built for you.