Texas: A new frontier for virtual power plants
Texas represents a significant opportunity for virtual power plant technology at scale. The state’s 10 million homes — the second most in the country — are a massive untapped sustainable resource in one of the nation’s most important energy markets.1
Support Texas grid needs
With energy use rising statewide and extreme weather events growing more common, the Texas grid is experiencing unprecedented demand peaks — and an increasingly pressing need for dependable energy solutions.
That’s where virtual power plants come in. VPPs can help provide support the Texas grid requires — without building new power plants or energy infrastructure.
Massive impact, real cost savings
The potential for VPPs and grid-responsive smart thermostats is big. 8.5M households2 in Texas represent 8.5 GW of load shift potential. And, those households could save nearly a billion dollars a year with smart thermostat savings features alone.3
Renew Home will activate Texan households, with hundreds of thousands of smart thermostats working in concert to coordinate energy usage and reduce grid pressure — delivering cost savings for customers without sacrificing comfort or control.
Potential load shift
8.5GW
A unique opportunity for VPPs
The Lone Star State is an especially promising market. 83% of Texan households have central air conditioning — compared to 67% of homes nationwide.1
The prevalence of central air conditioning means that each Texan smart thermostat has greater potential to contribute to significant statewide impact.
Our partnership with NRG
Together, NRG and Renew Home plan to develop a nearly 1 GW VPP to help enhance the resiliency of the Texas grid amid increasing demand.
Our Impact
A crucial resource for decarbonization
Renew Home is building the world’s largest residential virtual power plant — creating a future where households can respond to the needs of the electrical grid and optimize energy usage. With peak demand projections rising, VPP technology like Renew Home can be a cost effective and carbon-free energy solution.
1 Source: eia.gov State Air Conditioning | Highlights for air conditioning U.S. homes by state, 2020
2 Texas households with central air conditioning (RECS 2020 data)
3 Savings figure calculated using EIA RECS data on total cooling and heating costs in TX, multiplied by the heating and cooling savings by Nest thermostats. Nest thermostats can help save an average of 12% on heating bills, and 15% on cooling bills. These estimated energy savings are based on real-world studies and national performance data involving replacement of conventional thermostats with Nest thermostats in the U.S. Individual savings depend upon many factors, including climate and seasonal changes, home size, occupancy and appliances, as well usage of energy-savings features such as Auto-Away and Seasonal Savings. Actual savings may vary. Learn more at g.co/nest/realsavings.
