The financial benefits of Virtual Power Plants

When it comes to the financial benefits of solar, installing a solar (PV) system is just the beginning. By adding a solar battery and joining a virtual power plant (VPP) program, you’re maximising your energy savings and making the most of your clean energy. How? A solar battery will allow you to store your excess energy for later use. By joining an approved VPP program, you can also receive financial incentives for sharing any excess energy your household won’t use with the VPP network.

Not only will you and your community benefit from a reduced reliance on grid energy, fewer disruptions and more stable services, ultimately, you will benefit from cheaper power. Learn more about how VPPs share energy and how they balance energy generation and demand.

How much will I save?

How much you save will depend on how often your energy is shared from the battery into the VPP network and on which approved VPP program you join. Depending on the VPP provider, this could mean a reduction in energy bills or receiving grid credits for the energy discharged from your battery and shared to the VPP network. Some programs give an upfront discount for participation which will further reduce the cost of installing a solar battery.

While all the programs are different, they all have one thing in common: the benefit of joining up will be agreed upon upfront so customers will know what to expect as a member of an approved VPP program.

Research the approved VPP programs to evaluate the program features and benefits that best suit your household. Our approved VPP programs page includes a handy checklist of questions to ask yourself to start your research into VPPs.

Consumer protections: your guarantee

Solar Victoria’s priority is to benefit customers who participate in our rebate programs and there is information and support in place to ensure customers are protected.

All approved VPP providers were evaluated on their ability to deliver a successful program, as well as their ability to increase energy affordability for participating households and their focus on strong consumer protections.

Consumer protections include guaranteed benefits for households and safeguards against misleading sales pitches and contracts, and the misuse of data collected. You will also have a minimum 10 ten-day cooling off period and clearly defined exit fees (if any) should you choose to leave the program early.

Joining a VPP is a smart investment to support the delivery of sustainable energy, as well as providing value to consumers.

Find out more about virtual power plants and energy sharing, the financial and environmental benefits.