Virtual Power Plant PoC Support

Promoting renewable energy local production for local consumption
It is fair to say that Feed-In Tariffs (FIT) system brought some impacts; it expanded the introduction of renewable energy especially with solar power generation. This, however, was still an extension of the conventional centrally controlled power supply system. Power was still purchased and controlled by power operators then was supplied to where the demands were.
As renewable energy introduction expands with solar and wind where power generation volume rather fluctuates, centrally balance the supply and demand and adjust the frequency by power operator (power transmission and distribution business) is becoming increasingly difficult. This means that supply and demand adjustment within the local areas via local production for local consumption and establishment of true distributed power system has become necessary.

With this on the background, the project called Virtual Power Plant (VVP) is under way. In the concept of VPP, resources are operated and controlled all together including storage batteries along with solar and wind and it aims to achieve the power production at the equivalent level of large power operators, to balance supply and demand and to adjust the frequency of the grid within the district.

Virtual Power Plant PoC support
In Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s (METI) PoC, we supported Japanese major power company with its PoC utilizing consumers’ storage batteries.