# Could VPPs save rooftop solar?

- Show: [Catalyst](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst)
- Published: 2024-05-23
- Length: 41m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-05-23-could-vpps-save-rooftop-solar

## Summary

Jigar Shah, director of the Department of Energy’s Loans Programs Office, argues that the U.S. rooftop solar market must pivot from selling 'dumb solar' to offering dispatchable capacity via Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) to survive regulatory shifts like California’s NEM 3.0. He explains that while battery attachment rates are surging, utilities lack transparent compensation mechanisms for system-level dispatchability, creating a mismatch between homeowner incentives and grid needs. Shah emphasizes that aggregating distributed energy resources—such as batteries, thermostats, and EV chargers—can significantly increase the utilization of existing distribution infrastructure, delaying costly upgrades and managing load growth from data centers and electrification.

## Chapters

- [0:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-05-23-could-vpps-save-rooftop-solar#t=1) Introduction: Jigar Shah and the Rooftop Solar Crisis
- [3:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-05-23-could-vpps-save-rooftop-solar#t=203) The Shift from Solar Generation to Battery Dispatchability
- [6:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-05-23-could-vpps-save-rooftop-solar#t=383) Critique of California’s NEM 3.0 and S-GIP Lessons
- [12:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-05-23-could-vpps-save-rooftop-solar#t=749) The Sales Challenge of VPPs and Pilot Programs
- [17:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-05-23-could-vpps-save-rooftop-solar#t=1036) VPPs as Grid Assets: Utilization and Interconnection
- [22:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-05-23-could-vpps-save-rooftop-solar#t=1368) Scaling from Pilots to State of Distributed Energy
- [28:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-05-23-could-vpps-save-rooftop-solar#t=1691) Control Layers and Aggregation Strategies
- [33:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-05-23-could-vpps-save-rooftop-solar#t=2014) Electricity Rates, Load Growth, and Electrification

## Topics

- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Sunrun (company)
- Sonova (company)
- Energy Hub (company)
- Sun Edison (company)
- Carbon War Room (company)
- NEM 3.0 (other)
- S-GIP (other)
- PG&E (company)
- Tesla (company)
- Rocky Mountain Power (company)
- Luma (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Solving a Renewables Problem with Electric Vehicles](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2021-05-28-solving-a-renewables-problem-with-electric-vehicles) (EE Times Current)
- [213: Electricity Doesn't Act Like an Apple](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2017-08-31-213-electricity-doesnt-act-like-an-apple) (Embedded.fm)
- [Sustainable Kitchens: Smart Induction Stoves for Fighting Climate Change with Sam D’Amico](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-11-07-sustainable-kitchens-smart-induction-stoves-for-fighting-climate-change-with-sam) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [Managing Energy At The Edge: Navigating The Modern Grid With Itron](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2024-09-05-managing-energy-at-the-edge-navigating-the-modern-grid-with-itron) (Over the Air)
- [Like a steam engine in your house](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2025-04-15-like-a-steam-engine-in-your-house) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

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