NRELisanationallaboratoryoftheU.S.DepartmentofEnergyOfficeofEnergyEfficiency&RenewableEnergyOperatedbytheAllianceforSustainableEnergy,LLCThisreportisavailableatnocostfromtheNationalRenewableEnergyLaboratory(NREL)atwww.nrel.gov/publications.ContractNo.DE-AC36-08GO28308TechnicalReportNREL/TP-7A40-86607October2023VirtualPowerPlantsandEnergyJusticeBrittanySpeetles,EricLockhart,andAdamWarrenNationalRenewableEnergyLaboratoryNRELisanationallaboratoryoftheU.S.DepartmentofEnergyOfficeofEnergyEfficiency&RenewableEnergyOperatedbytheAllianceforSustainableEnergy,LLCThisreportisavailableatnocostfromtheNationalRenewableEnergyLaboratory(NREL)atwww.nrel.gov/publications.ContractNo.DE-AC36-08GO28308NationalRenewableEnergyLaboratory15013DenverWestParkwayGolden,CO80401303-275-3000•www.nrel.govTechnicalReportNREL/TP-7A40-86607October2023VirtualPowerPlantsandEnergyJusticeBrittanySpeetles,EricLockhart,andAdamWarrenNationalRenewableEnergyLaboratorySuggestedCitationSpeetles,Brittany,EricLockhart,andAdamWarren.2023.VirtualPowerPlantsandEnergyJustice.Golden,CO:NationalRenewableEnergyLaboratory.NREL/TP-7A40-86607.https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy24osti/86607.pdf.NOTICEThisworkwasauthoredbytheNationalRenewableEnergyLaboratory,operatedbyAllianceforSustainableEnergy,LLC,fortheU.S.DepartmentofEnergy(DOE)underContractNo.DE-AC36-08GO28308.ThisworkwassupportedbytheLaboratoryDirectedResearchandDevelopment(LDRD)ProgramatNREL.TheviewsexpressedhereindonotnecessarilyrepresenttheviewsoftheDOEortheU.S.Government.ThisreportisavailableatnocostfromtheNationalRenewableEnergyLaboratory(NREL)atwww.nrel.gov/publications.U.S.DepartmentofEnergy(DOE)reportsproducedafter1991andagrowingnumberofpre-1991documentsareavailablefreeviawww.OSTI.gov.CoverPhotosbyDennisSchroeder:(clockwise,lefttoright)NREL51934,NREL45897,NREL42160,NREL45891,NREL48097,NREL46526.NRELprintsonpaperthatcontainsrecycledcontent.iiiThisreportisavailableatnocostfromtheNationalRenewableEnergyLaboratoryatwww.nrel.gov/publications.AcknowledgmentsTheauthorswouldliketothanktheNationalRenewableEnergyLaboratory’sLaboratoryDirectedResearchDevelopmentseedprogram,whichfundedthisresearch.Additionally,BaiCuiandAhmedZamzamcontributedtotheinitialthinkingabouttechnicalvirtualpowerplantconcepts.RoderickJacksoncontributedtoourthinkingaboutenergyjusticeconcepts,especiallylinkingrootcausestocurrentchallenges.NateBlair,JenniferDaw,MadelineGeocaris,JoyceMcLaren,MikeMeshek,DanOlis,GianPorro,MarkRuth,DaniSalyer,andWilliamTokashprovidedvaluableinsightsduringtheeditingandreviewprocess.ThisworkwasinspiredbypubliccommentsmadebytheDirectoroftheDepartmentofEnergy’sLoanProgramsOffice,JigarShah,andhisleadershipteam.ivThisreportisavailableatnocostfromtheNationalRenewableEnergyLaboratoryatwww.nrel.gov/publications.ListofAcronymsALAAmericanLungAssociationBIPOCBlack,Indigenous,andPeopleofColorCEJSTClimateandEconomicJusticeScreeningToolDERsdistributedenergyresourcesDERMSDERmanagementsystemDOEUSDepartmentofEnergyEJenergyjusticeEJScreenEPAEnvironmentalJusticeScreeningToolEVelectricvehicleFERCFederalEnergyRegulatoryCommissionFFRfastfrequencyresponseIBEWInternationalBrotherhoodofElectricalWorkersIRAInflationReductionActISOIndependentSystemOperatorITInformationtechnologyJISEAJointInstituteforStrategicEnergyAnalysiskWkilowattskWhkilowatt-hoursLPOLoanProgramsOfficeMWmegawattsMWhmegawatt-hoursNECANatio...
