Multi-User Green Power Direct Supply: Key Rules & VPP Solutions
China’s National Development and Reform Commission and National Energy Administration jointly released a pivotal notice on May 20, 2026, advancing the green power direct supply framework from single-user to multi-user models. This policy mandates that industrial parks with multiple enterprises can now directly consume renewable energy through dedicated lines, with strict self-consumption ratios and surplus limits, reshaping how factories approach energy procurement and automation.
Understanding Multi-User Green Power Direct Supply
Traditional renewable energy projects often feed power into the public grid, losing physical traceability. The new model allows wind, solar, or biomass generators to connect directly to multiple consumers within an industrial park via dedicated cables and substations. This setup ensures that every kilowatt-hour can be physically tracked and allocated, enabling precise carbon accounting and green certificate issuance.
The policy defines two operational modes:
- Grid-connected type: The system links to the public grid but limits annual surplus feed-in to ≤20% of total generation. This ensures most power is consumed locally.
- Off-grid type: Completely isolated from the public grid, relying solely on self-generation and storage. This suits remote or critical facilities needing full energy independence.
Critical Compliance Metrics for Enterprises
The policy introduces a “load-first” principle: renewable capacity must be sized based on actual electricity demand, preventing overbuilding. For grid-connected projects, two key ratios must be met:
| Indicator | Requirement | Future Target |
|---|---|---|
| Annual self-consumption rate (of total generation) | ≥60% | — |
| Self-consumption as share of total user demand | ≥30% | ≥35% by 2030 |
| Surplus electricity fed to grid | ≤20% | — |
These thresholds push industrial users to maximize local consumption through intelligent load management and storage. Internal trading among park tenants is allowed, with time-of-use metering and green traceability, linking directly to carbon markets.
The Role of Virtual Power Plants in Green Direct Supply
A virtual power plant (VPP) aggregates distributed energy resources—solar, storage, controllable loads, EV chargers—into a single dispatchable entity. For multi-user parks, a VPP platform is essential to balance intermittent renewables, enforce self-consumption rules, and participate in electricity markets.
A typical architecture follows a cloud-edge-device hierarchy:
- Device layer: Smart meters (e.g., APM series, AGF photovoltaic meters) and controllers collect real-time data and execute commands.
- Edge layer: Local computing units provide autonomous control even during communication outages, ensuring reliability.
- Cloud layer: An energy management system (like AcrelEMS3.0) performs AI forecasting, optimization, and interfaces with power trading platforms.
Core Functions of an Integrated Energy Management System
Resource Aggregation and Monitoring
The system unifies PV arrays, battery storage, flexible loads, and charging infrastructure into a single dashboard. Real-time status and adjustable capacity are continuously assessed, forming a “dispatchable resource pool” that can respond to grid signals or internal optimization needs.
Local Optimization and Scheduling
AI algorithms predict solar/wind output and load patterns. The system then shifts flexible loads, charges/discharges storage to shave peaks, and prioritizes green power self-use. This keeps surplus below the 20% cap while minimizing electricity costs. For example, during high solar generation, excess can be stored or used to pre-cool facilities, avoiding grid export.
VPP Multi-Revenue Streams
By aggregating park resources, the VPP can bid into ancillary service markets—frequency regulation, peak shaving, demand response—earning compensation. Time-of-use arbitrage and surplus trading further improve project internal rate of return (IRR). A typical 10 MW park VPP might generate additional annual revenue of $50,000–$150,000 from grid services alone.
Full-Process Market Trading
The platform acts as an independent entity in electricity markets, handling day-ahead and real-time trading, ancillary services, demand response, and green certificate transactions. Automated bidding, clearing, and settlement reduce barriers for industrial users who lack trading expertise.
Key Hardware and Software Components
Implementing such a system requires reliable electrical control devices and automation solutions. Typical components include:
| Component | Function |
|---|---|
| Smart power meters (APM, AGF series) | High-precision energy measurement, power quality monitoring, communication via Modbus/RS485 |
| Edge computing gateways | Local data processing, protocol conversion, logic control, store-and-forward during network loss |
| Energy management software (EMS) | Visualization, AI forecasting, optimization engine, VPP interface, trading automation |
| DC drives and VFDs | Motor control for pumps, fans, compressors; energy savings via speed regulation |
| Protection devices (fuses, reactors, CTs) | Ensure electrical safety and power quality in the control cabinet |
Practical Considerations for Industrial Parks
When designing an electrical control panel for such systems, engineers must consider load profiles, renewable variability, and regulatory compliance. A typical 5 MW solar + 2 MWh storage project for a medium park might require:
- Distributed control cabinets with PLCs for local automation.
- Redundant communication paths (fiber, 4G) to ensure data integrity.
- Cybersecurity measures to protect against unauthorized access, especially when participating in grid markets.
- Scalable architecture to add more users or resources later.
The shift toward multi-user green direct supply aligns with global trends in industrial automation and sustainable manufacturing. By integrating advanced electrical control systems with VPP capabilities, parks can turn energy from a cost center into a profit driver while meeting carbon neutrality goals.
As policies evolve, staying ahead with flexible, intelligent energy management will be crucial for industrial competitiveness. The combination of direct green power supply and virtual power plants represents a mature, bankable model for the next generation of industrial parks.
