Ben Brown

Ben Brown, CEO of Renew Home, shares his expertise on the innovative world of residential virtual power plants (VPPs). He discusses a monumental 1-gigawatt deal with NRG Energy, which could reshape energy management. The conversation delves into the role of smart thermostats and the importance of customer engagement, data privacy, and transparent practices. Brown also highlights the scalability of VPPs to meet rising electricity demands and explores the integration of smart devices for enhanced energy efficiency in homes.

Ben Brown, CEO of Renew Home, has transitioned from designing vintage demand response programs to pioneering a modern virtual power plant system. He discusses how AI and smart devices empower households to save energy while seamlessly supporting the grid. With projections showing a significant increase in grid demand, he emphasizes his approach as a viable, cost-effective alternative to building new power plants. Brown highlights the importance of consumer control in energy management, achieving impressive opt-in rates through personalized strategies.

Ben Brown, CEO of Renew Home and former Google/Nest product manager who led research on smart thermostats, discusses how aggregated thermostat shifts can unlock gigawatts of capacity. He explains the study design and randomized trials. He covers regional results, the economics of virtual power plants, and how thermostats can be a gateway to broader home energy resources.