Ancillary Services
Services needed to maintain grid reliability beyond simply generating electricity — including frequency regulation, voltage support, spinning reserves, and black start capability.
Why It Matters
Batteries provide ancillary services more effectively than traditional generators. FERC Order 2222 allows distributed resources (including home batteries in VPPs) to participate in ancillary service markets.
Related Terms
Frequency Regulation
The process of maintaining the electric grid at exactly 60 Hz (in North America) by continuously balancing supply and demand in real time.
Virtual Power Plant (VPP)
A network of distributed energy resources (solar, batteries, EVs, smart appliances) coordinated by a central platform to provide grid services collectively, functioning like a power plant.
Demand Response
A program where utilities pay customers to reduce electricity usage during peak demand events, often by cycling AC units, adjusting thermostats, or discharging batteries to the grid.