As the Midwest faces rapid load growth and rising energy costs, the traditional approaches to scale resources and grid infrastructure are no longer fast or affordable enough. Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) have emerged as the region’s most agile solution—a digital bridge between distributed energy resources (DERs) and a stressed grid.Â
This panel explores how the Midwest is leading the nation in VPP policy and deployment. We will dive into the landmark Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA) in Illinois, which kicked off immediate VPP solutions and long-term holistic VPP planning. We will also examine precedent-setting rulings in Michigan that require VPPs in resource modeling and Minnesota’s new Distributed Capacity Procurement Programs which hints at utilities looking more seriously at distributed resources. Our experts will discuss how these policies move VPPs from pilot phase to system imperative, and how they might represent the next big revenue stream for clean energy companies.