Company now dispatching real-time flexibility across four major U.S. utility service territories, expanding demand-side capacity in the commercial mid-market
Budderfly, the preferred sustainability partner for commercial businesses, today announced a significant expansion of its Virtual Power Plant (VPP) platform, activating real-time demand response across four of the country’s largest energy markets: California Independent System Operator (CAISO), Independent System Operator (ISO) New England, Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland (PJM) Interconnection, and Southwest Power Pool (SPP) service territories.
The milestone signifies a decisive move into active grid participation for Budderfly, which now orchestrates behind-the-meter commercial sites through real-time energy market programs. Initial deployments leverage thermostatic control of HVAC systems and will quickly expand to include refrigeration, battery storage, lighting, and solar, enabling site-level intelligence and broader system responsiveness.
“Our VPP capabilities help hundreds of commercial sites become intelligent, responsive, and critical parts of the grid,” said Al Subbloie, CEO at Budderfly. “We’re proving that real grid flexibility doesn’t just come from factories and big-box stores, it can come from restaurants, fitness centers, and local businesses, too. Virtual power plants only work when participation is simple, seamless, and makes business sense. That’s the standard we’re building toward.”
Budderfly activated its VPP sites on June 1, 2025, in collaboration with utility and platform partners, including Evergy and Leap, enabling fully automated demand response and grid dispatch across a multi-state footprint. Unlike traditional aggregators that rely on customer-owned assets and require end users to actively manage participation, Budderfly owns and operates the behind-the-meter DERs it enrolls. This ownership model eliminates friction for commercial customers, enabling seamless participation in grid programs while delivering measurable operational and cost-saving benefits.
“Our model gives the grid what it needs, when it needs it, without disrupting customer operations,” said Thomas Flynn, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel at Budderfly. “We’re proving that the SMB segment will be a cornerstone of tomorrow’s responsive, decentralized grid.”
With more than 7,500 customer locations under management, Budderfly is now scaling flexible load capacity in a way that mirrors and rivals traditional supply-side infrastructure. Its demand-side VPP delivers value at both the building and grid level, aligning utility and customer goals without compromise.
Budderfly expects to expand into additional high-impact markets in the second half of 2025, including Texas and New York, as it continues to scale its platform and partnerships.
Small and mid-sized businesses account for an estimated $55 billion in annual U.S. electricity spending. This focus aligns with ongoing efforts at Budderfly to expand energy efficiency solutions across a broader range of commercial facilities and sectors. Budderfly’s approach combines energy efficiency, real-time optimization, and software-driven DER coordination, and positions the company to aggregate flexible load across this often-overlooked segment, unlocking VPP-enabled capacity while delivering measurable cost savings, emissions reductions, and long-term grid value.
About Budderfly
Budderfly, ranked as one of the fastest-growing Energy as a Service (EaaS) companies in the United States, is the premier sustainability partner for businesses and facilities. Budderfly installs, monitors, and manages a combination of patented technologies, equipment upgrades, and proprietary energy software for its customers at no out-of-pocket cost. Businesses benefit from lower energy bills, a reduced carbon footprint, more reliable operations, and an improved customer and employee experience. To date, Budderfly has helped customers avoid more than 200,000 metric tons of carbon emissions. Budderfly ranked on the Inc. 5000 America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies list from 2021 to 2024 and the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 list from 2023 to 2024. In 2025, Budderfly was named to Fast Company’s worldwide list of Most Innovative Companies, ranking 2nd for energy and 25th overall. For more information, visit budderfly.com or follow us on LinkedIn or X.
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Contacts
Tori Bentkover
budderfly@antennagroup.com
