Flip Energy launches virtual power plant software in Puerto Rico
Its partnership with Solis allows homeowners to integrate solar systems into the island’s energy grid.
Flip Energy, a provider of virtual power plant (VPP) software, has launched its VPP platform in Puerto Rico, expanding its energy solutions to the island’s growing distributed energy market.
The initiative, a partnership between Flip Energy and Solis, a manufacturer of solar inverters, allows homeowners and technology installers in Puerto Rico to enroll solar and battery storage systems in the island’s Battery Emergency Demand Response Program.
Already available in California, Flip Energy plans to expand to additional U.S. markets in 2025.
“We’re thrilled to be launching our VPP [software as a service (SaaS)] platform in Puerto Rico,” said Ben Larralde, founder of Flip Energy. “We’re committed to empowering local communities with innovative energy solutions that enable cost savings and energy resilience, and our partnership with Solis’ industry-leading technology underscores this mission.”
Flip’s software makes it easy for manufacturers to make their devices VPP-compatible through a standardized API platform, Larralde said. Acting as an intermediary between distributed energy resources (DERs) — including solar panels, inverters and batteries — and electrical utilities, Flip’s system allows solar and battery owners to maximize earnings by exporting energy to the grid in response to demand-response events.
VPPs offer an efficient solution for solar and battery system owners as utilities worldwide seek to integrate DERs to improve grid supply, demand management and reliability, the company stated.
Puerto Rico represents a key market as the island’s utility, LUMA Energy, shifts toward distributed energy solutions after Hurricane Maria’s destruction of the centralized grid in 2017.
“Puerto Rico’s energy landscape is ripe for innovation,” said James Qiao, general manager of Solis. “Our collaboration with Flip Energy represents a significant step toward enabling homeowners to harness the full potential of their solar systems. This partnership aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver sustainable and efficient energy solutions globally.”
