Virtual Peaker

A distributed energy management system (DERMS) aggregates and controls devices and other energy sources to predict and manage energy usage. By controlling distributed energy resources (DERs), utilities can manage demand during peak periods and control fluctuations in the load curve.

All distributed energy resource management systems (DERMS) manage distributed energy resources (DERs) for use in demand flexibility programs like demand response, EV charging, or virtual power plants. Grid DERMS manage utility-held DER assets like grid-scale battery or solar installations. Grid-Edge DERMS manage behind-the-meter DER assets found in places like residential, commercial, and industrial properties.

Distributed energy management systems (DERMS) can help save costs and stabilize the grid by managing energy use during peak demand periods. By controlling the behaviors of distributed energy resources (DERs) in a given area, utilities can predict and control demand, avoid high-cost energy purchasing, and avoid grid strain or congestion during peak periods.

Virtual Peaker’s Shift DERMS suite is designed to run and manage multiple demand response programs at once, across various device types. It’s possible to group devices and run multiple programs across service areas, or control based on grouped device types. Utilities can run all DER program types in one integrated platform, including EVs, smart thermostats, water heaters, batteries, and more.

Distributed energy resource management systems (DERMS) manage distributed energy resources (DERs) like solar, battery energy storage systems (BESS), electric vehicles (EVs) and EVSE chargers, and smart home devices like thermostats or water heaters. These DERs are used in demand flexibility programs, including demand response, EV charging, and virtual power plants. As such, DERMS platforms are the tool that enables the deployment of virtual power plants.

Virtual Peaker’s Shift Grid-Edge DERMS platform has the largest and fastest-growing list of device integrations available in the market. Partnering with over 30 device types, including smart thermostats, water heaters, batteries, and EV chargers, the Shift platform can work with most device types.

The Virtual Peaker platform has the largest collection of integrated devices in the market, allowing homeowners to register their devices directly from the OEM or through a user-friendly enrollment portal. The Shift Grid-Edge DERMS suite identifies potential devices within an area and connects with the Relay customer engagement suite to email and enroll customers into demand response programs.

With an all-in-one Grid-Edge DERMS platform, deploying any demand flexibility program is possible. Rather than purchasing individual solutions for demand response needs, EV charging, or more, the Shift Grid-Edge DERMS platform can manage them all, cutting down development costs, training time, and expediting program deployment.

We believe that trust in forecasting is built on transparency and consistent performance under pressure. Envision is built on an advanced AI operations platform that uses real-time machine learning to adapt to the current state of the grid and is informed by premium data sources. We also provide all of our customers with a performance dashboard that offers transparency and an easy way to evaluate historic system load performance. We do not simply set up our customers and forget about them. We offer an “expert-verified” approach, with our analysts continuously monitoring and openly receiving feedback from customers to help improve and tweak forecast performance. We have seen proven results with existing customers today, demonstrating that our forecasts outperform those of other solutions in the market.

Virtual Peaker’s Envision demand forecasting can forecast a range of different types of loads, depending on a customer’s needs. Examples of the type of system load that can be forecast include: Utility service territory’s entire system load data, which can be pushed from their supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system into our platform, or rolled up AMI data for a specific segment of their population. Forecasting system load for a specific ISO/RTO region. System Forecasts are available at an hourly granularity for 1-day, 1-week, 15-day, 1-month, and 1-year.

Virtual Peaker’s demand forecasting typically forecasts system-wide load and provides a forecast of the aggregate demand for a region or territory, typically helping to inform upcoming peaks. DER Event Forecasting is pulling data from DER devices, trained off existing DERs enrolled in the Shift Suite. This forecast allows customer program managers and grid operators to select groups of DER assets and predict their upcoming DER event performance. Our DER Event Forecasting feature can help predict the specific flexible capacity (MW reduction) available within your portfolio 48 hours before an event, as well as predict baseline versus event performance.

By unifying both suites, customer program managers and grid operators no longer have to toggle between windows or coordinate communication to guess at timing. You can schedule DER events directly while referencing your system load forecast, ensuring every dispatch is perfectly timed to hit the actual peak.