OpenADR Alliance Sees Surge in Membership Amid Energy Transition
San Francisco, Tuesday, 21 October 2025.
The OpenADR Alliance reports notable growth, with nearly 60 new members joining in the past year, driven by the global shift towards distributed energy resources and virtual power plants.
A Global Surge in Membership
The OpenADR Alliance has experienced a significant surge in membership, with nearly 60 new organizations joining within the past year. This expansion reflects a broader industry shift towards embracing distributed energy resources (DERs) and virtual power plants (VPPs). Notably, over a third of these new members hail from Asia, including countries like Japan, China, and Korea, while the remainder comes from Europe and North America [1].
Policy and Technology Driving Adoption
The growing adoption of OpenADR standards is largely driven by governmental policies that emphasize energy flexibility. Several European countries and the UK have adopted OpenADR as their standard for demand-side flexibility technology. Meanwhile, Japan has set additional requirements for OpenADR usage, and California is developing OpenADR 3 to enhance dynamic pricing communications [1]. The Alliance’s ecosystem has expanded beyond utilities and control manufacturers to include companies developing energy-efficient HVAC systems, battery storage, EV charging platforms, and grid-interactive technologies [1].
Virtual Power Plants and Future Prospects
Virtual power plants represent a rapidly growing segment of the energy sector. The market for VPPs is projected to increase from $5.6 billion in 2025 to $39.5 billion by 2035, highlighting the potential for significant growth in this area [1]. The OpenADR Alliance is positioned to benefit from this trend as it continues to integrate cross-DER capabilities and develop advanced technologies for solar systems and AI-based predictive load balancing [1].
Industry Milestones and New Developments
In August 2025, the Alliance reached a milestone by publishing the OpenADR specification version 3.1.0, which includes several industry-requested adjustments and support for MQTT, a standard for IoT messaging [1]. The introduction of a new open specification, ‘ADR MATTER,’ further underscores the Alliance’s commitment to innovation and adaptability in a rapidly changing energy landscape [1].