
A new program promises free solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage systems for many Texas homeowners, breaking down any lingering cost adoption barriers standing in the way of tapping into the benefits of behind-the-meter distributed resources.
Solar and battery system financer SOLRITE Energy and sonnen, a global energy storage and virtual power plant (VPP) wrangler, are launching the world’s first VPP power purchase agreement (VPA) in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) market. It actually does intend to distribute residential solar and storage at no upfront cost, but of course, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.
What’s the catch?
The deal is this: SOLRITE will install solar panels and sonnen batteries at eligible customer households for free. In exchange, those homeowners pay a lower-than-average rate for the solar energy they produce each month and their batteries are put (presumably auto-enrolled) into a VPP network supporting the Texas grid.
SOLRITE and sonnen generate revenue from the energy stored in those batteries, which helps cover the cost of the equipment, making the whole “free” thing possible.
It’s not a bad deal for the homeowners, though. In addition to the benefits of using clean, renewable energy, participants will save money compared to typical electricity rates in Texas and can use their batteries as backup power at no charge
According to the companies, Texans participating in the SOLRITE program pay a leading rate of just 12¢ per kWh for solar energy, significantly lower than the 19¢ – 20¢ per kWh commonly seen in the state.
“The bold and inventive SOLRITE introduction in the Texas market represents the most successful early-stage launch of the sonnenConnect VPP in the world,” contends Blake Richetta, chairman and CEO of sonnen Inc. USA. “sonnen is proud to dispatch authentic VPPs across the United States and Australia, as well as the largest behind-the-meter residential battery-based VPP in the European Union – with nerve centers in Germany, Italy and Belgium, amongst other countries. And in all of these markets, we have never seen anything like the SOLRITE Texas launch. We are so proud of the SOLRITE invention, and we are passionate to build a SOLRITE-Future for Texas.”
Since September 2024, SOLRITE has committed more than 40 megawatt-hours of residential battery power to the Texas market through this program, working with top solar installation professionals statewide.
“The era of conflict between solar energy and utilities is over,” adds Regan George, CEO of SOLRITE Energy. “The SOLRITE Texas VPA establishes a collaborative partnership between renewable energy and retail electric providers, delivering sustainable, reliable, and affordable power for all—a genuine win for customers, communities, and the planet. By strategically harnessing solar and battery storage, the VPA helps stabilize the grid, reduce pollution, and make clean energy more accessible to Texans than ever before.”
A bright future for VPPs?
Virtual power plants portend a key solution to grid constraints in an age of unprecedented load growth spurred by the proliferation of artificial intelligence and data centers.
The U.S. has roughly 30 GW of VPP capacity right now. The Department of Energy (DOE) is targeting 80-160 GW by 2030, but to get there, we’ll have to pick up the pace. In its latest VPP report, Pathways to Commercial Liftoff: Virtual Power Plants 2025 Update, the DOE provides a revamped roadmap for the public and private sectors to accelerate the commercialization of VPP technologies.
DOE’s Loan Program Office (LPO) is supporting VPP deployment with its checkbook. Last week, Sunwealth’s Project Polo closed on a $289.7 million loan guarantee with the LPO for its plan to deploy up to 1,000 solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage systems (BESS) across 27 states. SYSO Technologies of Boston, Massachusetts, will provide its software platform to help all of those distributed energy resources (DERs) communicate, creating a massive VPP.