A virtual power plant (VPP) is a collection of small-scale energy resources that, aggregated and coordinated with grid operations, can provide the same reliability and economic value to the grid as a traditional power plant, according to the nonprofit organization RMI.

And VPPs can help utility customers earn money. Large energy users can earn up to $100,000 a year through CPower Energy's program, said Mike Smith, CEO of CPower.

A recent report from RMI identified some of the gains VPPs have made recently. For example, 10 legislatures introduced VPP bills and four states passed VPP legislation in 2024. But more action is needed to meet the organization's goal of ensuring all US electricity consumers have access to VPP programs by 2035. Action is also needed to accelerate VPP adoption to meet booming energy demand.

Guests:

Gabriela Olmedo, head of policy and regulatory affairs at EnergyHub.

Mike Smith, CEO at CPower.

Background Reading:

RMI progress report, "From Awareness to Action."

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Send podcast episode ideas to host Lisa Cohn at Lisa@CleanEnergyWriters.com

Learn more about Lisa's energy writing at CleanEnergyWriters.

Tim Nesbitt, former chief of staff to Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski, claims bragging rights for charging his Chevy Bolt EV solely with solar power on his small farm, which is carbon neutral--and sometimes carbon negative. He has 84 ground-mounted solar panels that generate 18-19 kWh daily. Batteries provide some resilience for critical systems such as the internet and refrigeration.

Nesbitt's friend, another farmer, is earning $1,500 per acre for selling solar installed on his farm by a third party--more than he can make by growing certain crops.

Through the EVmath program, Nesbitt tells his story to help other rural residents understand the benefits of driving EVs.

Related podcast:

Crunching the EV Numbers in Rural Areas with EVmath

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Learn more about host Lisa Cohn's writing at CleanEnergyWriters.com

Whether you're a consumer who hoards old photos or a company that hangs onto unusable data, you're boosting data centers' energy costs.

By focusing on reducing hoarded--or "junk" data--and improving efficiency, data centers can slash power consumption by 40% to 60%, according to Simon Ninan, senior vice president, business strategy, Hitachi Vantara.

Ninan provides details about how data centers can achieve this kind of savings.

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Email host Lisa Cohn at Lisa@CleanEnergyWriters.com

Learn more about her at CleanEnergyWriters.com

Background reading:

Oregon Legislature Passes Power Act, Targeting Industrial Energy Users Like Data Centers

Energy Solutions for Data Centers Aren't Always Obvious. Take These Ideas

At the Sun Day event Sept. 21 in Portland, Ore.--a rally for clean energy--attendees shared their opinions about the Trump administration's policies targeting clean energy. They described the energy savings and resilience they're experiencing installling solar and storage at home.

One atttendee started to shed tears recalling her involvement in the first Earth Day and the clean-energy inroads that effort yielded. A representative from the Sunrise Movement explained why it's important for youth to be included in clean energy discussions. And two solar prosumers outlined the benefits they're experiencing from their solar and storage deployments.

A team of women sporting solar panel outfits marched around the park where the event was held.

The organizers of the event included Third Act and Indivisible.

Divest Oregon also partcipated in the event.

Visit CleanEnergyWriters to learn about host Lisa Cohn.

Email her at Lisa@CleanEnergyWriters.com

Plug-in solar systems can be installed on balconies, sheds, walls and any other areas exposed to solar. Users plug them into standard wall outlets and immediately begin producing electricity.

Bright Saver, a nonprofit organization that aims to make plug-in solar accessible to "everyone, everywhere," particularly to renters and those who can't access rooftop solar, seeks to overcome the legislative and regulatory barriers that prevent U.S. consumers from utilizing this technology, which is popular in Germany.

Working with the Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG), Bright Saver has drafted legislation that it plans to introduce in the Vermont Legislature in January and is talking to other states about adopting the legislation, which would remove legislative roadblocks to plug-in solar.

Bright Saver now offers a plug-in solar system for $400 and has a waitlist of 2,000 people. Paybacks can be as low as a few years, depending on the price of electricity, said Cora Stryker, co-founder of the nonprofit.

Guests:

Cora Stryker, co-founder, Bright Saver.

Ben Edgerly Walsh, climate and energy program director, VPIRG.

Background reading:

Why Can't Solar and Microgrids be Plugged in Just Like Hairdryers and Toasters?

Visit Clean Energy Writers to learn more about host Lisa Cohn

Email her at Lisa@CleanEnergyWriters.com

Hadron Energy says its micro modular reactors will produce power at 15 cents/kWh. How will the company make that possible?

Do small modular reactors create more radioactive waste than conventional nuclear reactors?

Which states have a moratorium on nuclear energy deployment?

These are some of the questions my guests addressed in this podcast.

Advanced nuclear reactors are seen as key to meeting soaring data center, AI and electrification demand because they provide baseload power and are carbon-free. But the advanced nuclear reactor industry faces a number of challenges, including regulatory delays, state bans on nuclear, high costs and waste-disposal issues.

Guests:

Samuel Gibson, founder and CEO at Hadron Energy

Woody Hastings, program director at The Climate Center

Tom Bailey, vice president of energy at Flexential

Background reading:'

Google Announces Tennessee Site for Small Nuclear Reactor

Small Modular Reactors Produce High Levels of Nuclear Waste

How Geothermal Energy Can Fill in Solar and Wind Energy Gaps in Clean Microgrids

Visit CleanEnergyWriters.com to learn more about host Lisa Cohn

Email: Lisa@CleanEnergyWriters.com

In rural Oregon, electricity prices are low compared to those of gasoline and diesel fuel, as low as 6 cents/kWh. EVmath is a nonprofit that aims to help rural drivers crunch the numbers on buying EVs--beginning with Oregon and Washington. The nonprofit organization wants to show rural drivers that, whatever their politics, it might make sense economically to drive EVs.

Here's an example: A gasoline-fueled car that gets 25 miles per gallon costs about 20 cents per mile at current gas prices. An EV that goes 4 miles/kWh charged at a rate of 6 cents/kWh costs 1.5 cents per mile.

Economics aside, EVs offer a number of benefits to rural residents and businesses. People are using bidirectional EVs, such as the Ford F-150 Lightning, to power pizza ovens, water pumps, power tools and other electric vehicles.

Guests:

Robert Wallace, EV convert who works with rural small businesses in Oregon at Wy'East.

Steve Gutmann, co-founder, EV Math, along with Mark Jacobs

Background information:

Crunch the EV numbers with this EVmath calculator.

Email host Lisa Cohn with podcast episode ideas or comments at Lisa@CleanEnergyWriters.com

Visit her at CleanEnergyWriters