Yahoo Finance·2026-01-27 18:09Industry Overview - U.S. electricity demand is increasing significantly due to the rise of electric vehicles (EVs), data centers, and extreme temperatures, while traditional coal and gas plants are retiring faster than new replacements are being built, leading to a reliance on variable wind and solar power [2] - To address the gap in energy supply, utilities are increasingly adopting virtual power plants (VPPs), which utilize a network of small energy resources to manage demand and supply [2][3] Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) - VPPs are cloud-based networks that aggregate various small energy resources, such as smart thermostats, EV chargers, and home batteries, to function as a single power source [3] - During peak demand periods, VPPs can discharge power from interconnected home batteries and adjust smart appliances to reduce overall demand [3] Company Insights: National Grid - National Grid is a multinational power company that operates as a monopoly in the UK and serves over 20 million customers in the U.S. [5] - The company has seen its shares rise nearly 40% over the past year and offers a dividend yield of approximately 3.7% [6] - In its half-year report, National Grid reported an underlying profit of £2.29 billion (around $3.1 billion), reflecting a 12% year-over-year increase, with earnings per share rising 6% to 29.8 pence (around $0.39) [7] Company Insights: Sunrun - Sunrun has experienced a stock price increase of 94% over the past year, benefiting from the growing demand for VPPs and the need for energy supply during peak times [9] Financial Considerations - National Grid has trimmed its annual dividend payout by 54% this year due to rising energy demand costs, but it plans to invest nearly $82 billion over the next five years to enhance long-term profitability [8]