a16z Crypto Backs Daylight’s Decentralized Energy Protocol

a16z
Crypto,
a
venture
capital
fund
known
for
its
investments
in
crypto
and
web3
startups,
has
announced
a
significant
investment
in
Daylight,
a
company
focused
on
decentralizing
energy
management
through
distributed
energy
resources
(DERs).
This
move
comes
as
part
of
a
broader
trend
towards
the
deployment
of
DERs
like
solar
panels,
batteries,
and
smart
thermostats,
which
are
seen
as
critical
to
modernizing
the
energy
grid.

Daylight’s
Decentralized
Protocol

Daylight
is
developing
a
decentralized
protocol
designed
to
enable
developers
to
program
the
energy
grid
using
DERs.
Initially,
the
company
plans
to
sell
DER
data
to
traditional
energy
companies,
helping
them
optimize
grid
management.
Over
time,
Daylight
aims
to
allow
anyone
to
build
a
virtual
power
plant
with
access
to
DER
information
and
control
over
their
deployment.

A
virtual
power
plant
aggregates
energy
resources
to
act
as
a
source
of
energy
for
the
grid,
addressing
the
collective
action
problem
posed
by
individually
owned
DERs.
By
enabling
homeowners
and
businesses
to
capture
and
sell
data
from
their
energy
devices,
Daylight’s
protocol
seeks
to
create
a
more
responsive
and
efficient
energy
grid.

Innovative
Use
Cases

Daylight
envisions
various
use
cases
for
its
protocol.
For
instance,
a
home
equipped
with
a
solar
panel,
an
electric
vehicle,
and
a
smart
thermostat
could
generate,
store,
and
discharge
energy
as
needed.
The
data
produced
by
these
devices
can
be
sold
to
energy
companies
to
improve
grid
management.
Additionally,
homes
and
buildings
could
pool
their
energy
resources,
auctioning
them
to
virtual
power
plant
operators
through
Daylight’s
decentralized
marketplace.

This
setup
allows
for
a
competitive
market
where
homeowners
and
businesses
can
delegate
their
energy
assets
to
the
highest
bidder
in
real
time.
It
also
enables
the
purchase
of
excess
power
from
Daylight-connected
devices,
potentially
lowering
energy
costs
across
the
grid.

Leadership
and
Expertise

Daylight
is
led
by
co-founder
and
CEO
Jason
Badeaux,
who
has
extensive
experience
in
the
energy
sector
and
a
keen
interest
in
crypto.
He
is
joined
by
co-founders
Udit
Patel,
who
has
expertise
in
operating
New
York’s
grid,
and
Evan
Caron,
a
power
trader
with
a
background
in
cutting-edge
energy
innovation.
Together,
they
bring
a
wealth
of
knowledge
and
experience
to
the
table,
supported
by
a
team
of
energy
grid
operators,
smart
contract
engineers,
and
domain
experts.

a16z
Crypto’s
Vision

a16z
Crypto’s
investment
in
Daylight
is
part
of
its
broader
strategy
to
support
innovative
solutions
in
the
crypto
and
web3
space.
By
backing
Daylight,
a16z
aims
to
contribute
to
the
modernization
and
decentralization
of
the
American
energy
grid,
leveraging
blockchain
technology
to
enhance
grid
management
and
efficiency.

For
more
information,
visit
the
original

a16z
Crypto
article.

Image
source:
Shutterstock