Savant has introduced Virtual Power Plant (VPP) capabilities in its latest software release, SavantOS 11.1.
The rollout, made possible through a partnership with energy platform Virtual Peaker, enables Savant Power Storage systems to dispatch stored energy from home battery systems during grid peak periods.
The development marks a significant expansion of Savant’s energy management ecosystem, allowing homeowners to contribute stored power to the grid, support utility operations and qualify for substantial rebate programs in select regions.
What Is a Virtual Power Plant (VPP)?
A Virtual Power Plant aggregates energy resources from multiple distributed sites—such as homes outfitted with solar panels and battery storage—to collectively act as a flexible energy-generating resource.
During high-demand periods, these networks can supply power back to the grid, reducing strain on traditional generation infrastructure and offering utilities a cleaner, more agile alternative.
Homeowners benefit through compensation for energy contributions while utilities gain peak-demand relief.
Savant’s Strategy: Turning Homes Into Energy Assets
Savant has already put this ethos into action through its participation in Green Mountain Power’s (GMP) Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program—having been approved for Power Storage 20 and Power Storage 50 systems in Vermont.
Through the program, residents can receive up to $10,500 in upfront rebates while aiding grid stability on peak-demand days.
Aligning with Broader Smart Home Energy Shifts
It’s not just clients that are growing interested in these types of solutions these days, however. While client demand has risen in recent years, energy experts are just as interested in these residential solutions as a means of managing energy demands on increasingly strained grids.
These strains largely come from increased heating and cooling loads, as well as rising energy use from AI, and while upgrades to the grid are being made in energy generation, these are often more costly in terms of both capital and time compared to leveraging residential storage systems arranged in a VPP.
For that reason, as evidenced by the NRG buyout of Vivint, certain utilities have become very focused on leveraging smart energy solutions at the home level, putting substantial commercial backing behind a client-side trend.
That’s also not mentioning the potential VPP capabilities like Savant’s add in creating net-zero home systems for clients and builders focused on delivering a more sustainable lifestyle.
Getting in Front of Builders at Critical Stages
The greatest challenge with getting these solutions onto projects remains the stage at which they are introduced. In the scope of energy storage systems, solar providers often serve as the gatekeepers to these types of projects.
Savant, for its part, has been conscious of this relationship in conversations regarding the positioning of its product, which has led the company to enter into broader partnerships with solar providers to position its products at the forefront in those early stages of design and build.
Most recently, Savant entered a partnership with Sunder Energy which now offers Savant’s Smart Electrical Panel tech to its national customer base.
