daily · electrification

Google-funded PG&E virtual power plant aims to enroll nearly 21,000 devices

PG&E, Google and Rewiring America say their SHARE pilot aims to enroll nearly 21,000 existing flexible home-energy devices in Bay Area communities. Google will fund the program, but it has not yet demonstrated grid savings.

By Greener Numbers Editorial Team · Published September 26, 2026 · Updated 9/26/2026

PG&E announced the Smart Home Assets for Reliability and Efficiency (SHARE) virtual-power-plant pilot on September 3 with Google, Rewiring America and several equipment partners. A September 23 Canary Media report examined how the pilot intersects with disputes over grid costs from a proposed Google computing facility.

PG&E says it is working with Tesla, Sunrun and Renew Home to enroll nearly 21,000 existing flexible energy devices, including home batteries and smart thermostats. That is a target for devices, not a count of participating homes or a capacity already dispatched. The utility says the resource could begin supporting the grid as early as fall 2026; eligible customers in Santa Clara and Alameda counties will be contacted starting then.

The program also plans discounted battery-enabled Carrier heat pumps. Google is funding customer incentives, technology deployment and delivery, according to the PG&E and Rewiring America release. Canary Media reported a roughly $14 million first phase and discounts of $5,000, or $10,000 for the first 25 customers. Those amounts are reported program terms, not realized household savings.

PG&E calls SHARE a proof of concept designed to make better use of existing grid capacity. Its claimed potential to lower costs and ease constraints has not yet been shown in operating results. PG&E and Rewiring America expect initial findings in late 2026 or early 2027. Canary Media reported that Google and PG&E say SHARE is not meant to offset the costs of Google's proposed 250-MW facility in San Jose, whose grid-connection cost allocation is disputed.

Sources: PG&E, September 3, 2026: https://investor.pgecorp.com/news-events/press-releases/press-release-details/2026/PGE-Rewiring-America-and-Google-Launch-First-of-its-Kind-Virtual-Power-Plant-to-Help-Lower-Costs-for-All-Customers/default.aspx ; Rewiring America: https://www.rewiringamerica.org/newsroom/press-releases/SHARE-to-help-lower-costs-for-all-customers ; Canary Media, September 23, 2026: https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/virtual-power-plants/california-latest-virtual-power-plant

Official source: Gemini Daily Brief Bridge ↗