GloBird Energy takes the next step with its first strategic Virtual Power Plant partnership
“The future of energy is an intelligent network, where individual households have greater control over their own energy while also making the grid more efficient and robust.”
We wrote that a couple of years ago.
That future is now.
Smarter, cleaner energy choices are now available to hundreds of thousands of Australian households with rooftop solar and battery storage.
That’s because GloBird Energy has formed a strategic Virtual Power Plant (VPP) partnership with Anker SOLIX, a leading provider of residential energy storage solutions.
A partnership that’s a win-win-win
When GloBird introduced our ZEROHERO solar battery energy plan about 18 months ago, we were doing more than simply suggesting that battery owners should be able to get more bang for their buck: we were putting our money where our mouth was.
Similarly, when Anker Innovations, a global technology company best known here in Australia for its smart home security brand, eufy, created its SOLIX division, it was recognising that technology was a vital piece of the energy landscape where their innovation and expertise could have a significant impact.
As part of our shared ambition to provide Australian homeowners with reliable solutions and true energy independence, Anker SOLIX and GloBird Energy have now formed this strategic VPP partnership.
It makes a lot of sense for both companies because it makes a lot of sense to our customers (and, hopefully, a lot of potential new customers).
You can’t beat a win-win-win scenario!
Control and reward for battery owners
It’s important to understand that this integration allows homeowners to participate in VPP energy trading while maintaining full control over their energy storage preferences. We think this is how it should be for everyone.
Meanwhile, ZEROHERO has been designed to incentivise and reward household battery owners to become part of the broader energy equation, offering:
1/ Zerocharge: Free grid electricity for 3 hours a day between 11am–2pm, including charging your battery.
2/ Zerohero: A $1 rebate for zero grid electricity use during a 2-hour evening peak.
3/ Zerowastedsolar: A 15c feed-in tariff for first 10kWh exported during the 2-hour evening peak.
4/ $1 per kWh exported to the grid during critical peaks, when wholesale electricity prices are expected to be exceptionally high.
Through this strategic partnership with Anker SOLIX, customers using their X1 system now have the option to seamlessly become part of the ZEROHERO VPP.
It’s pretty much what GloBird envisaged four years ago when we started testing the VPP concept on a small scale (which you can read about in We’re ready to run a Virtual Power Plant).
Streamlined activation is a key component
Technology is supposed to make everything easier. In this case, it really does. For existing Anker SOLIX X1 customers to become part of the ZEROHERO VPP, there’s no additional hardware installation and no need for a technician (or even a customer service agent).
Simply log in to the Anker app where you can activate GloBird Energy’s VPP services.
Via the smartphone app interface these customers are already using, they also have the ability to switch between participating VPP providers as market conditions and personal preferences evolve.
The integration maintains the core functionality of the X1 system while enabling automated participation in grid stability programs. During designated VPP events, the system can supply stored energy back to the grid, generating revenue for homeowners while supporting network reliability.
Customers retain full control over their participation, with the ability to set their own backup reserve levels and define when the system participates in VPP events.
Meanwhile, by being part of GloBird’s VPP, there’s access to ZEROHERO’s three hours of free charging daily during off-peak periods.
Battery owners see a faster return on their investment
Even without being part of a VPP, ZERHERO customers are seeing their home batteries “paying for themselves” faster. Add the advantages of being in a VPP, and the return on investment is an even more favourable calculation.
By combining household solar generation with VPP participation, the GloBird-Anker integration is a more positive financial equation than household solar without the benefits of a VPP.
At the same time, as we explained a couple of weeks ago, The Cheaper Home Batteries Program is changing the way we power our homes, so there’s never been a better time to add battery storage to an existing home solar system.
Check if GloBird + Anker is available to you
While it’s not quite all over Australia, the GloBird Energy ZERHERO VPP integration is now available to Anker SOLIX X1 customers in many service areas.
You will need to check with your Anker SOLIX installer, who will have detailed information around system requirements, program availability, and any specific terms.
If you’re in Melbourne, you can check out Anker batteries and talk to an expert in person by visiting their showroom at Chadstone.
You might like to read a bit more about battery ownership and ZEROHERO in this article we posted six months ago: Australian homeowners are happy with their batteries, or about Virtual Power Plants in this post.