ES Solar and sonnen are pioneering a new model for Rocky Mountain Power's existing rooftop solar customers, transforming thousands of intermittent rooftop solar systems into firm, dispatchable grid assets by retrofitting each home with a sonnen battery.
sonnen, one of the global market leaders in smart residential energy storage is collaborating with ES Solar, a leading Utah solar contractor, as part of their partnership with Rocky Mountain Power's Wattsmart Battery Program. A substantial break from traditional rooftop solar, the concept focuses on a collaborative approach to lay the groundwork for the power grid of the future.
"The path to a sustainable energy future requires the ability to integrate increasing amounts of renewables," said Bill Comeau, VP of Customer Experience at Rocky Mountain Power. "Through this innovative partnership, our 50,000 customers with rooftop solar can now be part of the solution for a sustainable grid of the future for the benefit of all."
After years of building and testing a Battery Grid Management System (BGMS) utilizing sonnen's Virtual Power Plant (VPP) software, RMP launched the Wattsmart Battery program for 2021. In response to the launch of Wattsmart, ES Solar created a new business model to ensure rooftop solar systems are equipped with batteries controlled by the local utility for the greater operation of the grid, removing many of the grid integration issues inherent with existing stand-alone rooftop solar systems.
"Our evolution at ES Solar revolves around the idea that a smarter grid requires intelligent batteries paired with solar," said Nic Evans, Vice President of Commercial at ES Solar. "We are committed to delivering customers solutions for a sustainable dynamic renewable energy grid."
"This first of its kind model is on the cutting edge of the battery storage industry and, while novel now, it's indicative of far-reaching, long-term shifts in how the grid is managed, and the essential role of battery storage," said Blake Richetta, Chairman and CEO of sonnen.
For its work with sonnen, ES Solar and other partners to pioneer programs like Wattsmart, Rocky Mountain Power was also recently named a finalist for the 2021 S&P Global Platts Grid Edge Award.
About sonnen
sonnen is one of the world's leading manufacturers of smart energy storage systems and a pioneer of clean, decentralized and networked energy technologies. We are one of the fastest growing energy tech companies and we've received many internationally recognized awards including for our innovative virtual power plant. Our products and services are used by the sonnenCommunity, a collection of visionaries around the world who share our vision of clean and affordable energy for everyone. We have offices located in Germany, Italy, Australia, the UK and the USA. sonnen is a wholly owned subsidiary of Shell within its Renewables and Energy Solutions division. Learn more at: https://sonnenusa.com/en/
About ES Solar
ES Solar is among the fastest growing solar energy system providers in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho, professionally installing solar energy systems for residential and commercial customers along the Wasatch front. With more than 12 years of experience and over 1,500 systems installed annually, ES Solar is the highest rated solar energy system provider by its customers. Learn more at: https://essolar.com/
About Rocky Mountain Power
Rocky Mountain Power provides safe and reliable electric service to more than a million customers in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho. The company works to meet customers' growing electricity needs while protecting and enhancing the environment. Rocky Mountain Power is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity providers in the United States. https://www.pacificorp.com
Press Contact
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sonnen@fischtankpr.com
