Sunrun to create 17-MW energy storage virtual power plant in Puerto Rico

US residential solar and storage provider Sunrun Inc (NASDAQ:RUN) on Tuesday said it has been selected to develop a 17-MW energy storage virtual power plant (VPP) in Puerto Rico.

The award from Puerto Rico’s electric utility provider Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority is set to create the first distributed large-scale storage scheme on the island. The initiative is part of nationwide efforts to rebuild the electricity network after Hurricane Maria devastated it in September 2017.

Sunrun, which has been operating in Puerto Rico since 2018, will launch a 10-year programme that will see it aggregate more than 7,000 units of its residential solar-plus-battery-storage systems. During the following year, the US firm will enroll customers into the scheme and start networked dispatches in 2024.

“We’re solving energy insecurity on the island by switching the model so that solar energy is generated on rooftops and stored in batteries to power each home, and then shared with neighbors, creating a clean shared energy economy,” said Sunrun’s CEO Mary Powell.

The plan is expected to reduce energy costs for consumers and help lower pollution. By taking part in the initiative, customers will be able to achieve cost savings from power generation, rely on backup during outages and receive compensation for sharing the power with the grid, Sunrun explained.

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