Plico and Alinta Energy bring new VPP to NSW homes

Plico and Alinta Energy have teamed up to bring a new Virtual Power Plant (VPP) Rewards program to NSW battery owners through the Sunshare plan.  

Plico has partnered with Alinta Energy to launch a new offering in New South Wales, enabling eligible households to participate in Plico’s independent Virtual Power Plant (VPP) and access Plico VPP Rewards, while contributing to a more responsive and resilient electricity grid. With this partnership, Plico’s Virtual Power Plant becomes the first to span both of Australia’s major electricity markets; the Wholesale Electricity Market (WEM) in Western Australia and the National Electricity Market (NEM) on the east coast. 

What this means for NSW battery owners

Eligible residential battery owners in New South Wales can now participate in, and benefit from, Plico’s VPP, including discounts for participation of up to $1,500 off eligible solar batteries. Additionally, the partnership with Alinta Energy enables Plico to provide VPP Rewards during grid-supporting VPP events. Through Alinta’s SunShare Plan, Plico pays VPP members with rewards of up to 50c per kilowatt hour for exported electricity during a VPP event.

Alinta Energy separately provides electricity retail services, including solar feed-in tariffs, under the SunShare plan. Households on the Ausgrid and Endeavour Energy network will receive a solar feed-in tariff currently set at 10c/kWh for the first 10 kWh exported each day.

Australia's first VPP to span the East and West Coast

The initiative marks the first electricity retail partnership for Plico in NSW and expands the company’s independent VPP network, which already connects more than 5,500 members across Western Australia’s South West Interconnected System (SWIS). 

Plico CEO Robbie Campbell says the partnership represents a major step in bringing Plico’s proven solar, battery and VPP model to households on the east coast:

“Plico has spent years building and refining a solar-plus-battery-plus-VPP model that empowers households to take control of their energy while strengthening the grid. With Alinta Energy, we’re bringing that model to New South Wales in a way that supports participation in the energy transition and enables households to access additional value streams from their solar and battery systems.”

Campbell states the partnership reflects a shared commitment to accelerating distributed clean energy across Australia: 

“Alinta is a strong partner for Plico. Both organisations share a commitment to clean energy and a customer-first approach. By combining Alinta’s forward-thinking retail offering with Plico’s distributed battery network, we can deliver a scalable, customer-centric renewable energy service that supports the growth of Virtual Power Plants across the National Electricity Market,” he adds.

Nicole Brolan, Alinta Energy’s General Manager Commercial Mass Market, says the partnership builds on a model that has already demonstrated strong results in Western Australia:

“Working together with Plico, we’ve shown how solar, batteries and Virtual Power Plants can deliver additional value for households while supporting electricity system stability, and we’re pleased to help bring that opportunity to homeowners in New South Wales.”

“Having options available to support solar households and pairing them with Plico’s battery and VPP capability creates a natural fit that allows customers to participate more actively in the energy system while accessing benefits linked to their energy usage and exports,” Brolan adds.

About the Plico VPP

Plico’s VPP technology connects household batteries into a coordinated energy network that can respond to grid needs in real time, helping to stabilise electricity supply while reducing reliance on fossil fuel generation. The network is enabled by advanced orchestration technology from energy software provider GridAI, which helps coordinate distributed batteries so they can operate as a flexible, grid-supporting energy resource.

The VPP is open to eligible battery owners using systems such as AlphaESS, Sigenergy and Redback Technologies, subject to technical compatibility and participation requirements. Plico VPP Rewards are available to those battery owners that are customers of the Alinta Energy SunShare electricity plan.

Plico also provides solar and battery systems for households, including finance options with support from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation through the Household Energy Upgrades Fund™ and a $1,500 battery discount for becoming a Plico VPP member, subject to Plico’s terms. Households could also be eligible to apply for the NSW VPP Incentive if they have a battery installed.

Campbell says initiatives like Plico’s VPP demonstrate how distributed energy resources can play a central role in Australia’s clean energy future:

“Virtual Power Plants allow everyday households to become active participants in the energy system. They strengthen grid stability, unlock more value from rooftop solar and accelerate the shift toward a decentralised, renewable-powered electricity network.”

Alinta Energy is targeting net zero emissions by 2050 and is developing a renewable and storage project pipeline worth more than $10 billion, supporting Australia’s transition to a low-carbon energy future.

VPP Rewards are paid by Plico based on metered electricity exported during VPP events and are separate from electricity retail tariffs, charges and feed-in tariff arrangements. Participation, eligibility and event availability conditions apply.

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