Renewable Rides

Ep 118: Turning Idle Grid Capacity Into Profit with Voltus President Matthew Plante

Gareth Evans & Dan Roberts Season 2 Episode 118

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0:00 | 57:16

What if the key to building a cleaner, more reliable energy future isn’t just producing more power, but using the power we already have more intelligently? In this episode, Matthew Plante, Co-Founder and President of Voltus, Inc., shares how demand response, load flexibility, and virtual power plants are reshaping the way businesses interact with the grid. You’ll learn how commercial and industrial businesses can reduce energy costs, improve resilience, and create new revenue opportunities—all while helping accelerate the transition to renewable energy.

Listen in as Matthew takes us through his journey from studying international economic development to building power infrastructure projects in Asia, pioneering demand response at Enel X (formerly EnerNOC), and founding Voltus to unlock the full potential of flexible energy resources. You’ll discover why the future of the grid depends on distributed capacity, how batteries and AI-driven energy demand are changing the landscape, and why businesses can play a critical role in creating a more sustainable and efficient energy system.

What You’ll Learn in Today’s Episode:

  • How Matt’s early career shaped his approach to energy innovation.
  • Why energy efficiency is critical for economic development.
  • What demand response and load flexibility really mean.
  • How businesses can lower costs without reducing production.
  • Why the grid needs smarter resource management.
  • How Voltus helps businesses monetize energy flexibility.
  • Why batteries are changing commercial energy strategies.
  • How virtual power plants support renewable energy adoption.
  • Why AI growth is creating new energy challenges.
  • What the future of distributed energy resources looks like.

Resources in Today's Episode:

You can view a video of the conversation on VECKTA's website here: https://tinyurl.com/2ax5z44x