01 / GENERATE
Plug-in solar
Small, appropriately certified photovoltaic devices reduce household electricity purchases during daylight hours.
DISTRIBUTED ENERGY, UNITED
Small devices.
Collective power.
What if thousands of apartments and homes could act like one intelligent power plant? Swarm VPP brings plug-in solar, small batteries, and flexible devices together—one home at a time.
Built for renters and neighborhoodsDesigned for measurable flexibility
Many small resources. One intelligent network.
☀SolarGenerate
▣StorageShift
⌁ControlRespond
THE IDEA IN THREE STEPS01 Generate02 Store03 Coordinate
THE POWER OF MANY
A neighborhood is already an energy network.
We make it work together.
Each participating home adds a little capability. Together, those capabilities become measurable and useful.
02 / STORE
Microbatteries
Compact energy storage can shift some solar production into expensive evening periods, while preserving household reserves.
03 / RESPOND
Flexible loads
Compatible smart thermostats can help reduce cooling demand during peaks while maintaining participant override rights.
OUR STARTING MODEL
Start small. Prove it.
Then scale the swarm.
These are planning assumptions from our VPP capstone, not enrolled customers or operating assets.
600 units
Portable solar devices
240 kW AC daytime nameplate
400 units
Microbatteries
400 kWh / 80 kW planned discharge
350 homes
Smart thermostat participants
192.5 kW gross summer response
40%
Income-qualified participation goal
360 of ~900 modeled host households
Installed solar nameplate is not firm evening dispatch capacity. Utility payment eligibility and battery integration are separate approval steps.
DESIGNED FOR ACCESS
Collective energy should work
for more people.
We’re designing for residents, property partners, and grid operators—not just homeowners with large rooftops.
⌂
Residents & renters
Lower electricity purchases where verified, transparent participation, and the ability to opt out of flexible-load events.
- Small-device approach
- No assumed export payments
- Resident override and privacy
▥
Housing & community partners
Make energy participation available across an apartment community with a proposed zero-upfront pathway for eligible households.
- Safety and property review
- Local enrollment partnerships
- Equity-oriented governance
⌁
Utilities & aggregators
Demonstrate whether many small, measured resources can provide reliable demand flexibility when integrated through approved programs.
- Measured rather than assumed impact
- Auditable device telemetry
- Approval before market dispatch
THE OPERATING SYSTEM
The intelligence
behind the swarm.
A secure, web-based operations platform could manage enrollment, device health, forecasts, event schedules, and participant value. Hardware controls and utility settlement require an authenticated backend and certified integrations—not a browser alone.
Explore the simulated dashboard ↗● ● ●SWARM CONTROL · CONCEPTSIMULATION
EVENING FLEXIBILITY / MODEL
214.8 kW
Modeled battery + thermostat response before further performance derating
Battery · 80 kW Thermostat · 134.8 kW
Device onboardingPlanned
Telemetry verificationRequired
Utility enrollmentNot approved
A REALISTIC FIRST VALUE STREAM
What can one small
solar device save?
Adjust two assumptions below. This simple example models self-consumed solar bill offsets; it is not a quote or utility bill forecast.
Assumes 400 W AC per unit, 1,500 kWh per kW-year, and 75% self-consumption. No battery, export, utility program payments, installation costs, or financing are included.
ILLUSTRATIVE ANNUAL SOLAR BILL OFFSET
$81,000
~$135 per participating device / year
Planning scenario only; actual generation, tariffs, shade, and consumption patterns will vary.QUESTIONS WORTH ASKING
Build carefully.
Earn trust.
Some pieces are ready for software development today. Other parts need product testing, program approval, and a site-by-site safety review.
Is Swarm VPP operating an approved utility program today?
No. This website is a pilot concept and software demonstration. Utility enrollment, grid-service compensation, and live device operation will only be described as available after the necessary approvals and contracts.
Can renters participate?
Renter inclusion is the design goal. Any installation still depends on the complete device's certification, applicable safety/building rules, landlord permission where required, and the resident's own consent.
What about plug-in solar laws?
California's SB 868 establishes a limited interconnection exemption for qualifying portable solar devices, up to 1,200 W AC per dwelling in total, beginning in 2027. It does not automatically authorize microbattery grid dispatch or guarantee payment from a VPP program.
Can the web platform control real devices?
Eventually, yes—through a protected backend and approved manufacturer or gateway integrations. The publicly accessible demo never sends device commands.
THE NEXT CHAPTER
Help shape the first swarm.
We’re preparing a small Southern California proof of concept for residents, housing partners, technology providers, and utilities.
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