Tesla is set to expand its roster of virtual power plants, now allowing Powerwall users in the Northeast to sell power back to the grid and may earn back $1,500 per year per kilowatt depending on certain factors, per Electrek.
This new project from Tesla, in partnership with distributed energy management systems provider EnergyHub, will be the "largest virtual power plant" in the Northeast, according to Electrek. Tesla already has virtual power plants in California, Australia, and Japan, with similar projects planned for Texas and Puerto Rico.
Tesla Powerwalls work in conjunction with the company's Solar Roofs, which harvest energy from the sun to convert into electricity. The electricity is then stored in the Powerwall for future use, allowing users to save on their energy bills in the long run. And now, with these new virtual power plants popping up, they could potentially save even more.
Powerwall owners in qualified areas will be able to sign up through the Tesla app to sell excess electricity stored in the devices back to the power plant, allowing the company to aggregate the power capacity of the Powerwalls and use them to keep electricity flowing to everyone when the grid is under stress.
EnergyHub told Electrek that "Tesla Powerwall owners who participate in the ConnectedSolutions program can earn for every kilowatt of benefit they provide to the grid up to $1,500 per year depending on the size of the battery and the state where they live."
Tesla is not the only company attempting similar projects — a company called sonnen (intentionally spelled with a lowercase "s") has virtual power plants in Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming. Virtual power plants from other companies have popped up in California, Vermont, and Hawai'i.
By integrating the entire process through its app, Tesla hopes to make signing up for one easier than ever.
"We have Powerwalls in Massachusetts, and I had to ping Tesla to get added to the program even though I had signed all the paperwork. Getting this to be self-service is a good thing," wrote one Electrek commenter.
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