Stem dispatches 86 MW of stored energy, enough to power 103,000 homes, during 5 hour Flex Alert in California

Stem, a global leader in AI-driven clean energy solutions and services, has announced  that its California virtual power plant (VPP) dispatched approximately 86 megawatts (MW) and 268 megawatt-hours (MWh) over the 5 hour “Flex Alert” period on September 6. A “Flex Alert” is a call to energy consumers to voluntarily cut back on electricity and shift electricity use to off-peak hours. The dispatches occurred during electricity usage peaks in response to this week’s extreme statewide heat wave and grid emergency.

The stored energy capacity released to the California electric grid from commercial and industrial customers increased resilience and demonstrated the critical role of energy storage as high temperatures continue to break records in California and the West. Extreme heat waves can create significant stress on the electrical grid and dispatching 86 MW of stored energy can serve about 103,000 homes. California utilities institute Flex Alerts during these high stress periods.

“As we continue to see extreme heat patterns, Stem’s customers are stepping up to support a more resilient grid,” said Julie Steury, Vice President of Program Operations at Stem. “We’re continuing to deploy energy storage systems dispatched by the AthenaⓇ platform throughout this heat wave to shore up system stability.

Stem was the first energy storage provider to launch and integrate a battery storage VPP into California wholesale markets as a demand response resource. Today, Stem has enrolled hundreds of commercial and industrial customers into its California VPP, part of its approximately 2.1 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of energy storage assets contracted or operating in more than 75 jurisdictions.

Stem’s AthenaⓇ platform helps customers maximize flexibility from their energy storage systems. The company’s AlsoEnergy solution monitors and optimizes a wide range of energy assets, including storage, solar and electric vehicle charging stations. Through this integration, Stem can provide more granular and actionable insights and intelligent dispatch capabilities that empower organizations to maximize the value of their energy assets.

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