Olivine has partnered with Electrify America to create the largest battery-backed DC fast charging virtual power plant (VPP) offering in CAISO.
Olivine has partnered with Electrify America to create the largest battery-backed direct current (DC) electric vehicle fast charging virtual power plant (VPP) offering in CAISO. Electrify America has built the largest open DC fast-charging network in the U.S for electric vehicles. While stand-alone EV chargers may have load patterns that add strain to the grid during higher carbon-intensive hours, when combined with wholesale market -integrated battery storage, these stations are able to maximize renewable energy usage and generate additional revenue by providing grid services.
To facilitate this project, the CAISO-integrated Olivine DER™ Platform imports utility load data from the charging stations, and provides dispatch signals to the storage systems. These integrations allow Olivine to aggregate the locations into proxy demand resources (PDRs), monitor baselines, optimize and submit bids, and seamlessly control battery charge and discharge behavior.
To date, 80 sites are participating in the aggregations in the PG&E and SCE service territories. This accounts for a total capacity of up to 17 MW available for dispatch during critical grid conditions. Since the project launched in fall of 2021, over 2,000 demand response events have been dispatched, shifting over 650 MWh of on-peak energy to lower carbon intensity off-peak hours.