CEO Nate Walkingshaw breaks down the latest Torus feature and what it means for the future of our energy infrastructure.
Think of our energy grid as a giant puzzle. Each piece of this puzzle plays a role in keeping the lights on, the machines running, and the world moving. However, this puzzle can be fragile, especially during times of high demand — think hot summer days or freezing winter nights when everyone is using more electricity than usual.
This is where your Torus Station comes in. By generating and storing energy right where it’s needed, your station can step in and support the grid when it’s under stress. Imagine your building or home becoming a mini power plant that can help out when the grid needs it most. With enough of us working together, we can make a huge impact.
Why does this matter?
Think of our energy grid as a giant puzzle. Each piece of this puzzle plays a role in keeping the lights on, the machines running, and the world moving. However, this puzzle can be fragile, especially during times of high demand — think hot summer days or freezing winter nights when everyone is using more electricity than usual.
This is where your Torus Station comes in. By generating and storing energy right where it’s needed, your station can step in and support the grid when it’s under stress. Imagine your building or home becoming a mini power plant that can help out when the grid needs it most. With enough of us working together, we can make a huge impact.
IRL with Torus
The real life Community feature in Torus is incredibly intelligent, designed with your home or business as the top priority. We understand that one of the biggest concerns with a communal energy feature is ensuring that your home or place of business is first in line for protection and resilience against any unforeseen events.
Well, that’s exactly what Torus does. Our system ensures that your home or business needs are met first — whether it’s charging your batteries, offsetting your loads, or powering your electric vehicle. Torus takes care of all the heavy lifting, making sure that your energy needs are fully covered before any excess power is sent back to the community. This way, you’re always protected from anything unplanned.
Your Contribution to the Grid: A Simple Math Example
Even while Torus prioritizes your home or business, you’re still making a tremendous impact on the grid, helping to expand it and provide critical resilience. Here’s a real-life example to put it into perspective:
- Example Home: Let’s say your home has provided 4.7 MWh of support to the community over the past year.
- Context: The average U.S. home uses about 30 kWh of power per day.
- Calculation:
- First, convert 4.7 MWh to kWh:
4.7 MWh = 4,700 kWh - Now, divide 4,700 kWh by the average daily usage of 30 kWh:
4,700 kWh ÷ 30 kWh/day = 156 days and its only August 15th!
Result: Your home has provided enough energy to completely support another home for 156 days! That’s the power of community — insane, right?
The Bigger Picture
Our partnership with Rocky Mountain Power (RMP) has been instrumental in making this vision a reality. The value generated through our collaboration extends far beyond individual households. By demonstrating the benefits of community participation, we’ve built a symbiotic relationship between consumers and utility providers. This partnership has not only helped build a more stable and resilient grid but is also paving the way for more innovative, community-centric approaches to energy management.
As Torus continues to evolve, we’re witnessing a remarkable transition from managing kilowatts to overseeing large-scale megawatts of energy storage and management. This shift illuminates the true potential of a community in supporting increasingly significant portions of the grid over time. The launch of our Community feature represents substantial, real-world progress in this direction, setting the stage for a future where distributed energy resources play a pivotal role in grid stability and energy efficiency.
A Powerful Educational Tool
Torus Community isn’t just about technology — it’s also about education. We’ve designed this feature to serve as a powerful educational tool for both commercial and residential customers. By visualizing how your energy use and storage contribute to the health of the grid, you can see the tangible impact you’re making. This collective understanding empowers each participant to realize how crucial their role is in creating a more sustainable and resilient energy ecosystem.
I also want to share a map of northern Utah, from Payson to Logan, showing an example of Torus Stations already deployed across the Wasatch Front. Each one of these stations is a puzzle piece, and together, they form a powerful network capable of supporting our entire community.
Why now?
Our partnership with large scale utility company Rocky Mountain Power has been a game-changer. This year alone, we’ve successfully responded to 89 demand response events with 99.99% uptime. This isn’t just a number — it’s proof that our technology works and that we can rely on each other to keep the grid stable.
As we continue to grow, moving from kilowatts to megawatts of energy management, we’re showing what’s possible when a community comes together. This is just the first step, but it’s a big one. By working together, we’re not just powering our homes and businesses — we’re powering a better future.
Mini Power Plants are BIG!
By simply living your life and letting Torus manage your energy needs, you’re not only ensuring your own security but also playing a significant role in building a stronger, more resilient grid for everyone. This is how we all win together, one kilowatt-hour at a time.
Join Us
I invite you to explore the new Community feature and see for yourself how your Torus Station is part of something much bigger. Together, we’re creating a resilient, reliable, and sustainable energy future — one puzzle piece at a time.
Thank you for being a part of this journey with us.
Warm regards,
Nate Walkingshaw
CEO and Co-Founder, Torus
