Grid edge

Batteries

Itochu quietly assembled a gigantic home battery network in Japan

The conglomerate controls a 36,000-unit virtual power plant. Up next? Unleashing it to help the national grid decarbonize.

By Julian Spector . 9 March 2023
Grid edge

This startup turns electric water heaters into grid batteries

Shifted Energy is tapping water heaters in lower-income communities to create virtual power plants that help balance the grid, starting in Hawaii.

By Jeff St. John . 6 March 2023
Grid edge

Inside the software running Sunrun's home solar-battery fleets

Virtual power plants are only as good as the software that controls them. Here's how Lunar Energy is making the most of Sunrun's grid potential.

By Jeff St. John . 21 February 2023
Grid edge

PG&E is testing different flavors of virtual power plant

What's the best way for home batteries to help ease summer grid stress? This California utility is trying out two different models with Tesla and Sunrun.

By Jeff St. John . 20 February 2023
Grid edge

Want your home to help the grid? These startups are making it happen

Homes that respond to signals from the grid could play a pivotal role in the clean energy transition. But getting customers on board isn't easy.

By Julian Spector . 8 February 2023
Grid edge

Texans can now sign up for virtual power plant to help grid, make money

Tesla, Octopus Energy and other power retailers are offering customers compensation to use their solar and batteries to make the grid more efficient and clean.

By Julian Spector . 27 January 2023
Grid edge

Swell raises $120M for virtual power plants to link solar and batteries

Getting networks of homes with rooftop solar and batteries to help balance the grid requires innovative tech and financing. L.A.-based Swell Energy is on it.

By Jeff St. John . 22 November 2022
Batteries

Hawaii is paying home-battery owners to help the grid. How's that going?

Hawaii's main utility reached a deal with pro-solar groups to reward households for sharing their clean energy. We check in on the results at the six-month mark.

By Julian Spector . 6 October 2022
Grid edge

Californians saved the grid again. They should be paid more for it

Smart thermostats, solar-charged batteries, EVs and other household devices can shore up the stressed grid. Why isn't the state going all in on incentives?

By Jeff St. John . 15 September 2022
Batteries

In Utah, thousands of homes feed the grid stored solar power

Utility Rocky Mountain Power teamed with sonnen to set up a virtual power plant that's thriving. Now it plans to expand the model across Utah and Idaho.

By Julian Spector . 14 September 2022