A reader recently asked about what’s up with the Liberty Utilities program to use batteries in customers’ homes around Hanover as a test of a virtual electricity-storage system to help stabilize the grid. This is the sort of decentralized system that many people (who know more than I) say is needed to create a modern power grid at relatively low cost and high flexibility.
I wrote about the project when it first came up in 2018 (here) but nothing since. Your wish is my commander, dear reader, so here’s what Liberty has to say this week:
Since we first announced the launch of our Battery Storage program, 78 customers have had batteries installed at their homes. We will continue to install batteries until we reach 100 customers. We already have the remaining 22 customers selected and Tesla is currently working with them to get all the proper paperwork and information gathered before scheduling the installation of their batteries. Because the majority of the batteries were only recently installed, we do not yet have results of the impacts to our distribution system.
Company details about the program are here. Energy News Network had a good update last summer: here.
Participating customers pay $50 a month for 10 years for installation of two Tesla Powerwall batteries. They will also be enrolled for time-of-use rates which vary based on the time of day. The utility will own the batteries and be able to draw from them to help meet demand during peak hours.
Return to the Concord Monitor