SOLRITE and sonnen Launch Virtual Power Plant Power Purchase Agreement in Texas, Bringing Solar + Storage to Homeowners at No Upfront Cost

The Virtual Power Plant Power Purchase Agreement (VPA) provides homeowners with solar panels and two 20kWh sonnen batteries at no upfront cost. Instead, participants pay a discounted monthly rate for the solar energy generated.

/EIN News/ -- STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga., Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, SOLRITE Energy, a company specializing in financing solar and battery systems, and sonnen, a global leader in energy storage and virtual power plant technology, announced the launch of an innovative virtual power plant power purchase agreement (VPA) in Texas’s ERCOT market. This program offers solar and battery power for homes at an affordable monthly rate, making it accessible to many Texans.

Under this program, SOLRITE will install solar panels and sonnen batteries at eligible customer households with no upfront cost. Instead, homeowners pay a lower-than-average rate for the solar energy they produce each month, saving them money compared to typical electricity rates in Texas. Since September 2024, SOLRITE has already committed over 40 megawatt-hours of residential battery power to the Texas market through this program, working with top solar installation professionals statewide.

The sonnen batteries provide back-up power for each home at no charge and enable homeowners to join a larger network called a Virtual Power Plant (VPP). This battery network supports the Texas grid, reducing reliance on polluting power plants during times of high demand. Through this technology, SOLRITE and sonnen generate revenue from the energy stored in these batteries, which helps cover the cost of the equipment, allowing homeowners access to battery systems at no cost. 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 rate commonly seen in the state.

Each day, the sonnen batteries in the VPP help balance the Texas grid by directing power where it’s needed most and when it’s most valuable. This structure reduces energy costs for everyone and strengthens the grid’s efficiency and resilience.

This program also sets itself apart from traditional “solar buyback” programs that send extra energy to the grid whenever it’s sunny. Instead, the sonnen battery network strategically controls when and how energy is shared with the grid, making solar energy a more reliable power source in Texas.

“The bold and inventive SOLRITE introduction in the Texas market represents the most successful early-stage launch of the sonnenConnect VPP in the world,” says 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.”

“The era of conflict between solar energy and utilities is over,” explains 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.”

The launch of this program marks an exciting shift in home energy. With SOLRITE and sonnen, Texas homeowners are stepping into a future of clean, reliable, and affordable energy. To expand this program, SOLRITE is partnering with retail electricity providers ready to support advanced technology like sonnen’s VPP. Interested providers can contact SOLRITE at sonnen@fischtankpr.com.

About sonnen

sonnen is one of the world's leading manufacturers of smart energy storage systems and a pioneer of clean, decentralized and networked energy technologies. We are one of the fastest growing energy tech companies and we've received many internationally recognized awards including for our innovative virtual power plant. Our products and services are used by the sonnenCommunity, a collection of visionaries around the world who share our vision of clean and affordable energy for everyone. We have offices located in Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, and the USA. sonnen is a wholly owned subsidiary of Shell within its Renewables and Energy Solutions division. Learn more at: https://sonnenusa.com/en

About SOLRITE:

The SOLRITE VPA is the key to a clean energy transition that provides clean, reliable and affordable energy for everyone — a true win-win: for the individual, property owners and investors, and our planet. The VPA is the industry’s first financial offering that leverages innovative battery grid services, in order to provide a superior and affordable solar-plus-storage solution, for end customers and solar contractors.

Press Contact
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sonnen@fischtankpr.com