Illinois is at a critical juncture. The state is on track to have higher energy demand than supply, driven in part by new energy-intensive industries like data centers. In response, Illinois lawmakers are taking a proactive stance to address potential power shortages and high energy costs by aggressively pursuing clean energy solutions, including a push for Virtual Power Plants.

The Regulatory Shift: Illinois’s VPP Ambition

The proposed legislation, HB3758/SB2497, is central to this effort. This bill would create the state’s first VPP program and set a target to build 15 GW of clean energy storage by 2035. The ultimate goal is to reduce energy costs for Illinois families and businesses by up to $2.4 billion over the next two decades and prevent over $7 billion in blackout-related expenses.

For DER manufacturers and aggregators, this bill is a direct signal of a new market opportunity. The legislation specifically notes that aggregators should have the capability to receive dispatch signals from utilities through communication protocols such as IEEE 2030.5 or OpenADR.

The Technical Imperative: From Legislation to Implementation

While the VPP bill is working its way through the General Assembly, Illinois’s major utilities are not waiting. Both ComEd and Ameren are already implementing pilot programs that lay the groundwork for a VPP-enabled grid.

  • ComEd’s Beneficial Electrification (BE) Pilots: ComEd has allocated over $5 million annually to implement eight BE pilots, including a School Bus Vehicle-to-Grid pilot and a program for Residential Optimized Charging. These projects are designed to demonstrate how a diverse fleet of DERs, from electric school buses to home EV chargers, can be used to provide grid services and reduce peak demand.
  • Ameren’s Grid Plan: Ameren is also actively developing new programs. The Illinois Commerce Commission’s approval of the utilities’ grid plans pushes them to use systems that manage and optimize DERs to increase the grid’s hosting capacity.

As these pilot programs scale, a standardized, reliable communication protocol becomes essential. The various DERs—EVs, smart appliances, battery storage, and solar panels—need to “speak the same language” to be dispatched effectively. This is where a protocol like IEEE 2030.5, with its strength in direct device control and secure communication, becomes a necessity.

The Strategic Advantage: Codibly’s IEEE 2030.5 Accelerator

To participate in and capitalize on Illinois’s VPP future, DER companies must be prepared. Our IEEE 2030.5 Accelerator is a pre-built, ready-to-deploy solution that aligns perfectly with the legislative and utility goals in Illinois.

  • Pre-Tested & Certified: The accelerator is pre-tested with industry tools to guarantee faster certification and regulatory sign-off, saving you months of development time and ensuring your products are ready for the new VPP programs.
  • Scalability & Flexibility: The microservice-based architecture is designed to handle the anticipated growth under the new VPP programs, whether integrating a fleet of school buses or thousands of residential EV chargers.
  • Direct Device Control: Our solution leverages IEEE 2030.5’s core strength—its ability to directly and securely control smart devices—which is precisely what is needed to manage a diverse VPP fleet.

Securing Your Market Position in Illinois

Don’t wait for the bill to pass. The work is already underway with key utilities like ComEd and Ameren. By proactively securing a technology partner who can help you prepare your products for the new standards, you can gain a significant competitive edge. Codibly offers a proven solution and deep knowledge of the Illinois regulatory landscape, helping you move from concept to compliance with speed and confidence. Our goal is to help clients not just meet the minimum requirements, but to build a strategic foundation that enables them to capitalize on every new market opportunity in Illinois.