As distributed energy resources such as residential solar rooftop increase in the next decade, aggregation into virtual power plants could save US utilities up to US$35 billion, according to The Brattle Group.

This edition of news in brief from around the world in energy storage focuses on virtual power plant action in the US.

Developer PowerField’s first large-scale battery storage projects in the Netherlands will be installed at solar PV parks, allowing them to connect to an otherwise congested grid network.

Finland telecommunications firm Elisa has received €3.9 million from the government to form a VPP using batteries which could be the largest of its kind in Europe.

The virtual power plant (VPP) network of residential solar and battery storage provider Sunrun in the US is being managed by Lunar Energy, a recently-formed firm in which Sunrun is a shareholder.

California’s net metering successor is controversial, but residential battery storage providers Neovolta and Sonnen have greeted it warmly.

Enel X will pilot battery storage systems at two shopping centres in Australia with commercial real estate group Vicinity Centres.

Virtual power plant (VPP) specialist Swell Energy will aggregate home solar and battery systems in a new programme from the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD).

Renewable energy firm Acciona Energia has launched a 16-chargepoint vehicle-to-grid (V2G) network in the Balearic Islands, the first in Spain.

Swell Energy has raised US$120 million funding towards its 600MWh virtual power plant programme across the US.