Stem, Inc. Supports Grid Operators and Retail Utilities During Extreme Heat
July 01 2021 - 06:30AM
Releases energy from hundreds of battery storage systems across North America during critical period peak events in June
Contributes to emergency grid capacity as leading demand response and grid services provider
Stem, Inc. (“Stem” or “the Company”), a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI)-driven energy storage services, today announced that the Company dispatched its portfolio of more than 500 megawatt-hours (MWh) enrolled in demand response and grid services programs during heat waves in the United States and Canada throughout the month of June. In that time, Stem’s Athena® software responded to almost 4,000 site events across 10 different utility programs and more than 400 customer sites in California, Massachusetts, New York and Ontario, Canada.
During California’s statewide record-setting heat wave during the week of June 14, 2021, Stem dispatched its portfolio of operating energy storage systems in response to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Extreme Heat Event and Flex Alerts from California Independent System Operator (California ISO), the nonprofit that manages the state’s power grid.
At the same time, as the East Coast of the United States and Ontario experienced heat related events, Athena® dispatched energy storage systems in wholesale markets and utility programs to help eastern utilities and grid operators maintain system stability.
An increase in energy demand during heat waves can create significant stress on the electrical grid. Stem’s Athena® intelligent software automatically operates energy storage systems to reduce customers’ energy costs and instantly responds to signals received from the grid operators to dispatch available capacity when and where it is urgently needed. This helps to stabilize the grid by flattening electricity usage peaks and delivering power to the most constrained parts of the grid. Athena® co-optimizes the value of flexible energy in real time, incorporating dynamic conditions such as energy prices, local grid capacity constraints, tariff-based program events and severe weather conditions. The Company’s technology provides fast-response and backup power while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and reliance on diesel generators and fossil fuels.
“Utilities across the country continue to see the value of Stem’s demand response and grid services, allowing them to call for demand reduction without impacting customer operations,” said Julie Steury, Vice President of Program Operations at Stem. “This is accomplished through use of our virtual power plants. We are prepared to continue to support grid operators and retail utilities in reducing power outages in the coming summer months.”
Stem was the first energy storage provider to launch and integrate a battery storage virtual power plant (VPP) into California wholesale markets as a demand response resource. Today, Stem has more than 950 systems representing about 1.1 gigawatt-hours (GWh) contracted or operating in more than 75 jurisdictions.
