The case for using prices rather than VPPs to coordinate distributed energy

The case for using prices rather than VPPs to coordinate distributed energy

From Volts by David Roberts

May 8, 2026 · 1h 30m

About this episode

Bruce Nordman discusses the advantages of using dynamic retail prices over VPPs for coordinating distributed energy resources.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe Most people think that coordinating the behavior of thousands of distributed energy resources requires some kind of third-party middleman, like an aggregator managing a VPP. My guest today, veteran research scientist Bruce Nordman, believes there’s a better way: dynamic, time- and location-specific retail prices, communicated directly to consumer devices, which would cut out the middleman and leave more value with customers.

People in this episode

Host: David Roberts

Guest: Bruce Nordman

Topics covered

  • distributed energy
  • retail prices
  • energy coordination
  • VPP
  • consumer devices

Keywords

  • distributed energy resources
  • dynamic pricing
  • VPP
  • energy management
  • consumer devices

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Volts, www.volts.wtf

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