FranklinWH announced its battery storage system is now accepted in two virtual power plant (VPP) programs in New York and Washington.
In New York, homeowners who participate in the VPP offered by National Grid’s ConnectedSolutions and Orange & Rockland Utilities’ Smart Savers Battery Program can receive nearly $3,000 in upfront incentives and earn roughly $200 per year by allowing utilities to draw small amounts of electricity from their batteries during periods of high demand. The programs run from May through September, when summer electricity demand peaks.
FranklinWH Systems connect to the New York programs through a partnership with EnergyHub, whose software platform allows utilities to coordinate large numbers of distributed energy resources such as home batteries.
“Programs like these show how home batteries can support the grid while creating new value for homeowners,” said Gary Lam, co-founder and chief executive officer of FranklinWH. “By connecting thousands of home batteries through virtual power plants, utilities can reduce pressure on the grid during peak demand and give homeowners a way to earn additional value from their energy systems.”
FranklinWH’s residential battery is also accepted in Puget Sound Energy’s Flex Batteries program in Washington. Homeowners receive an enrollment incentive of up to $1,000 per battery, plus up to $500 per year for participating. When the grid is under strain, Puget Sound Energy (PSE) automatically pulls excess stored power from the system, and homeowners are paid for the energy their batteries provide. Events can be called year-round.
“With federal tax credits for home energy storage ending last year, programs such as this from Puget Sound Energy are an important way for homeowners to make battery backup affordable,” Lam said. “This allows homeowners to keep their power on during outages, save on energy bills, and support the grid during high-demand periods.”
Batteries must be owned by PSE customers and interconnected with the PSE grid. Software technology providers Uplight and Derapi facilitate enrollment, battery dispatch and customer payment.
It was announced earlier this year that FranklinWH batteries are also accepted into two Arizona VPPs.
