You might think that Texas, where the governor and all his cronies think renewable energy is the spawn of the Devil, would be the last place in America to see energy technology delivered to homeowners. But instead, ERCOT, a Texas operator, is mandated by law to build the grid as cheaply as possible. This, in turn, leaves it wide open to system failure such as the massive blackout that occurred in the state after the strongest winter storm in 2021.
The governor criticized renewables, but the reality was ERCOT’s failure to anticipate the kind of weather that prevented the wind turbines that are often seen in Texas from being able to withstand the cold weather. Such activities cost money, so of course they were not included when the wind farms were built. Being cheap often means spending more money in the long run, as Texans found out when the cost of electricity rose from 12 cents kWh to $3.00 kWh or more.
Griddy’s revised bill! 1300 sq ft. Heat set at 60, no washing machine, no dishwasher, no stove/oven, only used toaster, candles day and night most of the time, Tv on some. Some say I used 1772 kw. $5,000 @wafa @FOX4 pic.twitter.com/r1eidadyur
– kat and tony (@katandtonyT) February 20, 2021
The result of this insanity in the pursuit of spending money is that Texas officials have come up with things that are much cheaper to install a solar system with battery backup than just relying on Greg Abbott and his friends to provide reliable, affordable solutions. electricity for the people of Texas.
The Virtual Power Plant Plan
This past week, Octopus Energy and Enphase announced a new partnership that allows residential customers the opportunity to integrate Enphase’s home solar and battery solutions into their energy system to unlock affordable housing costs. As part of the agreement, Octopus Energy will be able to manage the customer’s battery to reduce consumption when the grid is at its peak and help save customers hundreds of dollars each year, according to the press release. “Our partnership is just beginning. We hope to develop new markets with world-class products and services to advance a sustainable future together,” said Octopus Energy.
The software platform from Octopus Energy monitors, controls, and optimizes distributed energy. They are planning to build power plants with Enphase home battery systems and will purchase these DERs in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) additional markets – the first of its kind for these products.
Octopus Energy can optimize the way a customer’s battery connects to the power grid through Intelligent Octopus, its smart energy system for selling equipment, which allows customers to get the best possible sales prices. And of course, during grid outages, the cheapest electricity is generated by rooftop solar.
As Octopus Energy expands its supply of energy to markets outside of Texas, it hopes the new partnership will lower costs for customers and promote a cleaner grid. “Our partnership with Enphase Energy is an important step as we accelerate the transition to renewable energy across the U.S. Load flexibility creates significant value in the renewable energy sector and energy suppliers have a unique ability to adjust electricity prices for customers, so this is an excellent opportunity to combine the importance of necessary solutions to the product to create the most affordable prices for customers.”
“Retailers have the opportunity to lead the energy transition by combining customer service offerings, technology, and investment capabilities to create products that reduce costs and reduce carbon,” said Michael Lee, CEO of Octopus Energy US. “We look forward to working with Enphase Energy as we develop a variety of cost-effective and innovative solutions to offset our carbon footprint.”
“We’re excited to partner with Octopus Energy to bring solar and batteries to the homes of Texas homeowners, helping them manage their energy bills and creating more energy for everyone,” said Dave Ranhoff, director of marketing at Enphase Energy. “Our partnership is just beginning. We look forward to expanding new markets with high-quality products and services to advance a sustainable future together. “
Octopus Energy’s partnership with Enphase comes as policymakers around the world look to harness emerging technologies to accelerate the transition to renewables, and remove barriers to the growth of clean energy. Together with Enphase, Octopus Energy will help customers optimize their home energy systems around easy participation in additional markets and demand response programs to save time.
This is the latest step in Octopus Energy’s mission to provide a better, greener future for the world. One of the largest energy companies in the United Kingdom, where the company was founded five years ago, Octopus Energy entered the US market in 2020. In 2022, it launched Octopus Electric Vehicles, its integrated solution to respond to the EV leasing plan that facilitates the acquisition and implementation of EVs and smart charging, and Intelligent Octopus, an intelligent response system that reduces electricity prices by up to 30 percent simply by allowing Octopus to intelligently charge the customer.
EV Concierge Program
Last summer, Chris George, head of Octopus Electric Vehicles in America, said CleanTechnica, “When you visit our website, users will be greeted with our EV Concierge program, EV samples, and an invitation to fill out our form to see if you are eligible to participate in the beta program. If the customer qualifies, our EV Concierge will provide qualified customers with a clean energy service, assist prospective EV drivers in researching and leasing vehicles, including selection and delivery of their desired new or used EV, installation of a home EV charger, and training on the best practices for vehicle ownership. EV. New customers will get a new EV model.
“With the high demand for EVs and the shortage of used and new EVs, it is an important time for us to enter the EV space to help drivers transition to EV ownership as we push toward electrification. In addition, with our clean glove service, including EV education, we can help make the transition easier than ever by guiding customers through the entire process – increasing confidence in EV ownership and removing the ‘fear of the unknown.’
In a recent article, we told our readers about a new report being aired in Davos this week that identifies three so-called “super tipping points” that could help move the world from the brink of climate disaster. Octopus and Enphase help make this possible.
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