SOLRITE Energy and sonnen are launching a new virtual power plant (VPP) power purchase agreement in the ERCOT market in Texas. Under the program SOLRITE will install solar panels and sonnen batteries at eligible customer households with no upfront cost. Instead, homeowners pay a lower-than-average rate for the solar energy they produce each month, saving them money compared to typical electricity rates in Texas.
Since September 2024, SOLRITE has already committed over 40 MWh of residential battery power to the Texas market through this program, working with top solar installation professionals statewide. The sonnen batteries provide backup power for each home at no charge and enable homeowners to join a larger network VPP. This battery network supports the Texas grid, reducing reliance on polluting power plants during times of high demand. SOLRITE and sonnen generate revenue from the energy stored in these batteries, which helps cover the cost of the equipment, allowing homeowners access to battery systems at no cost.
Texans participating in the SOLRITE program pay a leading rate of just 12¢ per kWh for solar energy, significantly lower than the 19¢-20¢ per kWh rate commonly seen in the state. Each day, the sonnen batteries in the VPP help balance the Texas grid by directing power where it’s needed most and when it’s most valuable.
This program also sets itself apart from traditional “solar buyback” programs that send extra energy to the grid whenever it’s sunny. Instead, the sonnen battery network strategically controls when and how energy is shared with the grid, making solar energy a more reliable power source in Texas.
“The bold and inventive SOLRITE introduction in the Texas market represents the most successful early-stage launch of the sonnenConnect VPP in the world,” says Blake Richetta, Chairman and CEO of sonnen Inc. USA. “sonnen is proud to dispatch authentic VPPs across the United States and Australia, as well as the largest behind-the-meter residential battery based VPP in the European Union – with nerve centers in Germany, Italy and Belgium, amongst other countries. And in all of these markets, we have never seen anything like the SOLRITE Texas launch. We are so proud of the SOLRITE invention, and we are passionate to build a SOLRITE-Future for Texas.”
“The era of conflict between solar energy and utilities is over,” explains Regan George, CEO of SOLRITE Energy. “The SOLRITE Texas virtual power agreement (VPA) establishes a collaborative partnership between renewable energy and retail electric providers, delivering sustainable, reliable, and affordable power for all — a genuine win for customers, communities, and the planet. By strategically harnessing solar and battery storage, the VPA helps stabilize the grid, reduce pollution, and make clean energy more accessible to Texans than ever before.”
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