Behind the Meter: Vista Power's Innovative Energy Storage Solutions

Explore how Vista Power is transforming commercial and industrial energy management with innovative storage solutions. In this exclusive interview, Founder and CTO Petar Matejic shares insights on their modular Voltaris system and how "behind the meter" technology is giving customers control over energy costs.

Learn how Vista Power evolved from spacecraft battery technology to tackling grid constraints for data centers, hospitals, and factories. Discover how their energy-as-a-service model can save customers up to 30% on electricity bills while providing reliable backup during outages.

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Transcript

James: Hi everyone. Welcome to the "Control Listen Podcast," brought to you by Octopart. Today we have a special guest for you. It is Petar Matejic, Founder and CTO of Vista Power. Thanks for coming on the show, great to have you.

Petar: Thanks for having me, James.

James: Anytime. To get started, I guess, did you maybe want to tell people a little bit about the company? Maybe a story, primary goals, and kind of your journey with it?

Petar: Sure, yeah. So I'm the Founder and CTO of Vista Power. We're based out of San Francisco. We originally went through Y Combinator during the winter of '24 batch, about a year ago. And currently we primarily work on providing energy as a service for commercial and industrial customers.

Prior to that, we were actually in the space industry. That's actually sort of the foundational background of myself and my Co-Founder, Max. We both came from SpaceX. I supported Starship, Max supported Starlink. Originally we were working on developing structural battery packs for spacecrafts. The main value proposition was coming up with a technical solution of consolidating batteries into a smaller volumetric space within the structure itself, to open up more payload volume.

Long story short, after customer discovery, the fit wasn’t really there. So we looked at alternative lines of business. We wanted to stay in energy and saw AI booming, with data centers growing fast. We discovered power was a constraint, not just for data centers, but for any commercial facility - grocery stores, gas stations, factories, even hospitals.

The issue in the U.S. is that the grid isn’t built to handle growing demand. As more people connect to the grid, it becomes strained and causes outages. We're trying to help by installing energy storage systems and solar. That's essentially what we're up to today.

James: That’s awesome. And you mentioned to me that you had something in the works—a modular energy system that’s coming soon?

Petar: Yeah, we’re working on a battery energy storage system called Voltaris. It’s lithium-based, modular, and stackable, like Legos. Great for facilities planning expansion. You can add more units over time, allowing quick deployment and minimal disruption. Maintenance is a big pain point, and our design allows easy upgrades. We're aiming to complete it in a year to a year-and-a-half, pending certifications. In the meantime, we use third-party solutions - Tesla, Goshen, and other East Asian suppliers.

James: Okay… and so you're saying it’s modular and scalable. So for example, in tandem with your solar offering, this could be really good for remote facilities?

Petar: Exactly. Each battery can switch between performance modes, two hours of backup, four hours, or switch off and go back to the grid. If maintenance is needed, you’re not left in the dark, assuming the grid’s operational. But that’s unlikely with our design.

James: Interesting. So let’s talk about your current offerings.

Petar: Currently we use partner-certified systems. We’re working with a customer in Arizona. We signed a pre-order two to three weeks ago. The site is for a new single-family community, 65 residential plots. It’s in the early planning phase. We’re defining electrical infrastructure requirements and working with construction and planning teams.

James: That’s exciting stuff. When we started talking, you mentioned “Behind the meter.” What does that mean?

Petar: "Behind the meter" means infrastructure installed on the customer side of the utility meter. It gives customers control of their usage and costs, and lets them join grid programs like demand response. Savings and incentives stay with the end user.

James: Makes sense. What’s the process and timeline for starting a project?

Petar: First, we do a site audit, 12 months of utility data and interval data (every 15 minutes). We estimate current costs and savings potential. If the customer’s interested, they sign a pre-order, send a deposit, and we sign an energy services agreement. Installation typically happens within a year. Contracts last 5-15 years, and decommissioning is quick. The full lifecycle is about 15-16 years.

James: What other industries do you think could benefit from this?

Petar: Any industry that uses or plans to use a lot of power, especially with grid infrastructure falling behind demand. Batteries are a key solution. C&I markets are big, but under-served. Huge opportunity.

James: Especially with rising costs, it’s a great time to get involved.

Petar: Yes. Battery costs, especially LFPs, are dropping. Even with tariffs, R&D and manufacturing improvements are lowering prices. Meanwhile, utility rates go up. Would you rather partner with someone where costs go down or up?

James: Good question. What broader trends or advances in solar have you seen?

Petar: Solar panels are getting cheaper and more efficient, up to 27–28%. They're low maintenance and long-lasting. Virtual power plants are on the rise. Plus, incentives like the Inflation Reduction Act are supercharging adoption. My co-founder knows more about policy, but it's a big deal.

James: What role is AI playing?

Petar: AI helps forecast usage and generation, enabling better load shifting and peak shaving. It improves data accuracy, which enhances savings. AI also helps manage storage, decide when to store or sell to the grid, orchestrate VPPs, and even aid in predictive maintenance.

James: It’s a learning algorithm.

Petar: Exactly.

James: Solar tech has become compact. Has that helped in urban spaces?

Petar: Definitely. In cities like SF with little ground real estate, compact systems make deployment feasible. But regulation is the bigger hurdle, safety in confined spaces is critical. That’s why these systems are more common in suburban or rural areas. But that might change.

James: Final question, apart from modular energy systems, anything else we should look for?

Petar: If anyone feels they’re overpaying on electricity, we can help. We install infrastructure free up front, and can save up to 30% on bills.

James: That’s awesome. Where can people learn more?

Petar: Check out www.vistapower.com or find us on LinkedIn. Feel free to reach out.

James: Fantastic. Thanks for coming on the show. It’s been great learning about this important and evolving space.

Petar: Thanks for having me, James. It’s been a pleasure.

James: Anytime. Everyone, come back next week for another guest.