Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Who is Olivine?

Olivine, Inc. is an industry-leading energy resource management and grid services company. We operate at the intersection of energy supply and demand, environmental sustainability, and equitable energy access. Olivine provides full-service energy resource management infrastructure and services for our residential, commercial and industrial facility clients including market analyses and revenue assessments, resource integration/testing/deployment, and on-going operational management and administrative support for our energy programs. To learn more, visit us on www.olivineinc.com.
What is ClimateResponse^® VPP?

ClimateResponse^® Virtual Power Plant (VPP) is Olivine’s solution to empower and financially compensate electricity end-users to temporarily adjust their energy consumption to improve grid resilience and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to address the climate crisis. Virtual power plants bring together a large number of electricity consumers who work together to provide grid services by reducing their energy use or optimizing their distributed energy resources (DERs ) – just like a real power plant. VPPs make the grid more reliable and resilient to extreme weather, lower energy costs, increase clean energy on the grid and compensate consumers for their participation.

ClimateResponse^® VPP engages end-users by delivering real-time information when energy prices and local GHG emissions are high, or when the energy grid is stressed; and educates participants on actions to take to save energy – while offering incentives for program participation. Olivine calculates and reports the energy and environmental impact of ClimateResponse^® VPP participation to customers so that they can track the impact they are making to mitigate climate change and increase sustainability.
Who is eligible to participate and earn incentives?

Customers that procure electricity from Investor-Owned Utilities (SCE, PG&E and SDG&E), Publicly Owned Utilities, Community Choice Aggregators, or Direct Access customers that have the potential to temporarily reduce their energy use can participate in ClimateResponse^® VPP and earn incentives. Customers must not be enrolled in other utility or third-party Demand Response (DR) programs.

CalChoice CCA customers are currently eligible to participate -in the ClimateResponse® VPP Demand Side Grid Support (DSGS) Program participation option and the DSGS guidelines are available here.
How does ClimateResponse^® VPP work?

Customers sign up for ClimateResponse^® VPP and agree to save energy during ClimateResponse^® Events – typically scheduled between 4 - 10pm when energy prices are high, or when the energy grid is stressed. Customers benefit from lower energy bills, create a positive impact on the environment and also earn monetary incentives for their participation.
What are the benefits of participating in ClimateResponse^® VPP?

By joining ClimateResponse^® VPP you will play a key role in demonstrating environmental leadership, strengthening the grid with clean, non-polluting energy resources, and helping to avoid emergency brownouts and blackouts. In addition to reducing your electricity bills and earning program incentives, your facility’s reduction in energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can be counted towards meeting your corporate social responsibility (CSR), environmental, social and governance (ESG), and climate goals. You will also earn monetary incentives for your participation.

Customers will earn incentives based on how much energy they save during ClimateResponse^® Events.
What do I need to do to become a ClimateResponse^® VPP customer?

To become a customer in ClimateResponse^® VPP, you need to complete the enrollment process, agree to program terms and conditions and the participation agreement, provide essential participation details, and agree to share your utility information with Olivine, which is needed in order to report on your reduction in energy usage, calculate greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions and determine your earnings.
What is the term of my commitment to ClimateResponse^® VPP?
What about my data privacy?

When you agree to share your utility data as part of the enrollment process, you will authorize Olivine, Inc. to be your Demand Response Provider (DRP). As a result, Olivine will have access to some of your utility information including the customer name associated with the account, the service address, rate schedule, meter type, electric usage, billing data, and whether you are enrolled in a utility demand response program. This data will be kept in a secure location as specified by the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC)’s Fair Information Practices guidelines. For more information on the DRP authorization process and data protocols, refer to the CPUC website here.

Enrollment Questions

What information do I need to enroll?
When you enroll in ClimateResponse^® VPP, Olivine will help manage the flexible energy loads at your facility in order to reduce your electric bills and to help you earn money from participation in ClimateResponse^® Events. The following information is needed to help us assess how you can participate:

Zip Code (to determine which energy provider you’re served by)

Contact Information (to discuss how your facilities can participate in ClimateResponse^® VPP and notify you of ClimateResponse^® Events)

Email address for authorized signer of the Terms and Conditions & Participation Agreement (if you are not authorized to sign)

Capacity Nomination (to calculate potential energy, environmental and financial impacts of event participation)

Utility Account Information (to review your utility data, assess how your sites can participate in ClimateResponse^® VPP and report on your energy savings and earnings)

Participation Details (to determine your resources participation plan and report on your resources)
How long does it take to confirm enrollment?
How will I know when I’m enrolled?
What is the capacity nomination?

The capacity nomination is the estimated target load reduction quantity (kW) for a site during a ClimateResponse^® Event. Nominations are required for non-residential customers enrolling in ClimateResponse^® VPP. The capacity nomination is a representation of the load reduction capacity (kW) potential in your facilities that is achievable during ClimateResponse^® Events. Olivine provides technical assistance to non-residential customers to help determine the appropriate capacity commitment for your facility. Email us at ask@climateresponse.com or call 1-866-306-0829 for more information.
What if I don’t meet my nomination commitment?

Olivine reserves the right to remove customers from ClimateResponse^® market-integrated program options, if they consistently fail to meet their nomination commitment and/or fail to provide all needed information and data needed for enrollment. Customers can adjust their capacity nomination on a monthly basis by submitting a request to ask@climateresponse.com.

Questions about ClimateResponse^® Events

What will trigger a ClimateResponse^® event?

ClimateResponse^® Events are triggered by high wholesale market prices, and when the electric grid is facing supply shortages which might result in power outages and grid emergencies. We may also trigger test events occasionally to either test our ability to automatically send signals to your technologies during an event or to validate capacity nominations.
When and how will I be notified of an event?
What does an event notification look like and what does it contain?
How many times will I be called to respond to an event?
What happens if I don’t respond to an event?

Questions about incentives and payments

How much can I earn with ClimateResponse^® VPP?
How and when will I get paid?

Disenrollment Questions

How do I disenroll from ClimateResponse^® VPP?

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Enrollment Questions

Questions about ClimateResponse® Events

Questions about incentives and payments

Disenrollment Questions

Questions about ClimateResponse^® Events