Sonnen, SOLRITE and ADAPT Energy Integrate VPP Circuit Breakers to Convert Home Loads into Flexible Grid Assets

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SOLRITE introduces next-generation virtual power plant node with sonnen and ADAPT Energy, integrating VPP circuit breakers to convert household loads into flexible grid assets

ADAPT Energy’s control of VPP circuit breakers will add dispatchable load flexibility to the VPP sonnen SOLRITE, while paving a simpler, faster and lower cost path for whole house backup

SOLRITE, a company specializing in the development, financing and ownership of Virtual Power Plant Agreement (VPA) projects, together with Sonnen, a leader in Virtual Power Plant energy storage technology, announced that they will now digitally integrate VPP smart switches, managed by ADAPT Energy, into SOLRITE sonnen’s VPP. The integration marks the next evolution of sonnen and SOLRITE’s industry-leading partnership in VPP innovation, expanding beyond battery storage by transforming residential electrical loads into flexible, distributable grid assets for both VPP and smart backup power applications.

Unlike traditional whole-home backup approaches, which often require the relocation of hardwired circuits, including dedicated load panels, the newly expanded VPP Node combines the sonnenHub with ADAPT Energy’s VPP smart switch technology to intelligently manage major home loads. This creates a more streamlined approach to whole-home backup while unlocking a whole new source of flexibility for SOLRITE sonnen VPP. With the owner’s permission, the VPP smart switch, controlled by ADAPT Energy, can also participate in VPP events on the grid, allowing the same electrical infrastructure to be flexible for both backup and participation in the grid.

“Our work with ADAPT Energy is an important step forward in our thinking about residential battery storage and participation in VPPs,” said Regan George, CEO and founder of SOLRITE Energy. “We’ve already demonstrated the tremendous value of connecting Sonnen batteries as a common grid asset. Now, we’re going inside the house and unlocking another layer of flexibility that’s been there all along. By combining the battery with the additional load management made possible by VPP smart switch technology, we’re creating a more valuable node for the grid while providing homeowners with a smart backup solution.”

The next generation of whole home backup

The integration addresses one of the long-standing challenges of whole-home backup: how to provide broad electrical coverage without large home loads depleting available battery capacity too quickly or causing the nano-grid to fail immediately after an off-grid transition due to excessive inrush current. With the newly expanded VPP smart switch technology digitally integrated with the sonnen ecosystem, the system can intelligently remove large loads without the need to relocate those circuits. ADAPT Energy keeps the smart switches synchronized with the sonnen’s battery during backup mode and automatically restores the switches when grid power returns. This significantly reduces installation complexity and tedious inspections for installers, allowing teams to complete more jobs per week.

For homeowners, the system offers the convenience of a whole-home electrical setup that intelligently manages the loads that have the greatest impact on backup life. All of this work is done in the background, meaning homeowners don’t have to worry about resetting individual circuits during an outage. Instead, participating households will see more value from their VPA program in the form of an improved backup power experience. Additionally, at any time in the future, if a homeowner is interested in changing which of their VPP smart switch controlled loads are disconnected during an outage, the process to make that change is quick and easy and does not require electrical reconfiguration.

“It’s about making whole-house backup work the way homeowners expect,” said Troy Morgan, president of PanTech Design, the developer of ADAPT Energy. “Rather than pressuring homeowners to change the way their homes are wired and manually manipulate loads during a blackout, we are building intelligence into their energy system, providing an automatic, seamless backup power experience for their home. Our technology enables home loads to provide optimal backup power during a blackout or provide valuable flexibility to the grid.”

Smart switches as network flexibility

Permission-based architecture aligns the interests of the homeowner, the battery owner, and the utility company. The real opportunity arises when owners choose to allow switches to participate in VPP events on the network.

When a VPP event is sent, the sonnen’s battery can be discharged or charged together with direct load shedding via ADAPT. ADAPT Energy will strictly remove previously approved household loads, and by using Eaton AbleEdge circuit breakers, ADAPT achieves this right where the circuit breaker is located, without relocation. A customer who has chosen to include a pool pump, for example, can turn off that load temporarily while the sonnen’s battery discharges to the grid. That way, the VPP can respond through both the energy stored in the battery and the energy that would otherwise have been consumed by the home, thus increasing the injection sent to the grid by the VPP.

“With the addition of ADAPT Energy’s VPP smart switch technology to the SOLRITE-sonnen ecosystem, we are expanding the virtual power plant from a battery-centric resource to a fully orchestrated home energy platform,” said Blake Richetta, president and CEO of sonnen Inc. “By synchronizing the energy that has been harnessed in our battery with real-time intelligent control of home electrical loads, we can deliver more flexible and responsive capacity to the grid precisely when it is needed most. This integration “It materially strengthens the value of SOLRITE’s virtual power plant, supporting grid reliability, creating greater customer value and allowing SOLRITE to continue providing industry-leading solar and storage VPA solutions to homeowners.”

Press release from www.sonnenusa.com