Key Takeaways
- Yield Energy has launched Yield Edge DERMS, an agriculture-first distributed energy resource management system (DERMS).
- The platform is designed to enable farms to provide grid-ready energy flexibility while generating new revenue.
- Yield Energy manages more than 200 MW of agricultural load, including over 100 MW in PG&E’s HFP pilot.
- The company validated its platform with nearly $3 million in funding from the California Energy Commission.
- The new product integrates with AgTech partners to automate demand response with minimal impact on farm operations.
Yield Energy Introduces Yield Edge DERMS for Agriculture
Yield Energy, formerly known as Polaris Energy Services, announced the launch of Yield Edge DERMS, an agriculture-focused distributed energy resource management system designed to unlock grid-ready flexibility from farms. The platform is positioned as the first DERMS built specifically for agricultural operations, enabling growers to participate in grid programs while maintaining normal farming practices.
The company reported that it currently manages more than 200 megawatts of agricultural load, including over 100 megawatts enrolled in PG&E’s agriculture-specific Hourly Flex Pricing (HFP) pilot. Yield Energy stated that the launch follows extensive validation work supported by nearly $3 million in funding from the California Energy Commission.
Validated Platform Connecting Farms and the Grid
Yield Energy said the state-supported validation confirmed that agricultural operations can deliver automated, utility-grade flexibility at scale. According to the company, this allows utilities to rely on farm-based resources for demand response and load shifting, while ensuring that growers receive financial benefits without altering production practices.
The Yield Edge DERMS orchestrates a range of on-farm assets, including irrigation pumps, cold storage systems, EV and equipment chargers, solar installations, batteries, and on-site generation. These assets are aggregated into virtual power plants that respond to grid signals in real time.
Tyler Nuss, Chief Executive Officer of Yield Energy, said the platform enables agriculture to function as a reliable partner to the grid by aligning on-farm operations with utility needs.
Yield Energy Integration With AgTech Ecosystem and Performance Results
Yield Energy integrates with a broad ecosystem of agricultural technology providers, including WiseConn, Farmblox, LUMO, Ranch Systems, Swan Systems, Netafim, and Verdi. Through these integrations, pumps, sensors, and automation hardware can participate automatically in demand response and other grid programs with fast response times and minimal operational disruption.
The company reported several performance metrics from deployments across California, including average demand response performance of 100% across enrolled devices, demonstrated load-shift potential of 67% during peak hours, and average annual grower revenue exceeding $20,000. More than 10,000 on-farm devices are currently enabled on the platform.
A spokesperson from WiseConn said that the partnership enables irrigation systems to unlock new revenue opportunities while supporting grid reliability.
Supporting Grid Reliability and Grower Resilience
Yield Energy stated that its approach delivers a new category of clean, flexible grid capacity by leveraging large, responsive agricultural loads. According to the company, these resources can shift within minutes, support localized grid reliability, and do so at a lower cost than traditional infrastructure upgrades or energy storage.
By integrating agricultural operations into grid planning, Yield Energy said it aims to strengthen both utility systems and the economic resilience of growers through scalable, data-driven energy management.
