Sessions
Presentation: The Largest residential battery VPP in the world is located in Germany. Is this a model for Puerto Rico?
12:30 PM - 12:40 PM Thu
Blake F. Richetta has been a member of the leadership team at energy storage leader sonnen for 6-years and has been Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the US subsidiary since Shell’s acquisition of sonnen in early 2019. During his time at sonnen, Blake has become a recognized pioneer of the residential energy storage based Virtual Power Plant business model in the United States. Under Blake’s leadership, sonnen co-developed the industry acclaimed Soleil Lofts multi-family apartment community Virtual Power Plant in Herriman Utah (12.6MWh), the landmark Wattsmart residential and commercial Virtual Power Plant / Distributed Battery Grid Management System with Rocky Mountain Power throughout Utah and Idaho (currently at 33MWh under utility control spanning residential and C&I applications) as well as a variety of additional notable VPP projects, including master planned communities with home builders Mandalay Homes in Arizona and Pearl Homes in Florida, and the new sonnenConnect California CAISO based consumer VPP. Shortly after Hurricane Maria, Blake led the sonnen organization to become deeply involved in the Puerto Rican energy system, including founding the 501(C)(3) del Sol Foundation for Energy Security and collaborating with sonnen to build permanent microgrids across the island, for philanthropic purposes. Blake and sonnen Inc. remain deeply committed to supporting energy transition in Puerto Rico.