Electric Grid Relieves Strain Through Electricity Storage During Con Ed Trial
In the heart of New York City, a pilot program named Responsible Grid is revolutionizing the way homes manage energy consumption. Run by Standard Potential in partnership with Con Edison (Con Ed), the program connects air conditioning units in homes to small, portable batteries, about the size of a microwave oven.
During periods of high electricity demand, such as heat waves, the program allows homes to run their air conditioners off the battery instead of directly from the grid, reducing peak load and helping conserve energy while protecting the electric grid. Participants can receive payments for allowing their AC usage to be shifted to battery power during peak times.
The Responsible Grid pilot targets managing the high energy demand caused by air conditioners in summer, a time when the grid is under strain. It represents a growing trend to use small home batteries for demand response, complementing other distributed energy resources like home solar and battery storage.
By deploying many small batteries directly in homes, the program avoids the lengthy permitting and construction processes required for large battery projects, effectively shaving peaks in electricity demand during critical times. If more New Yorkers were to connect electric appliances to batteries in their homes, it could make the city more resilient and add to the stability of the electric grid.
Participants who have the batteries in their homes through September will receive about $100 per air conditioning unit plugged into them from Responsible Grid. The program is planning to scale up next summer and potentially try pairing the batteries with electric heat pumps in the winter.
The Responsible Grid program is one of about a dozen programs residential Con Ed customers can enroll in to reduce energy during key windows and get financial rewards. Batteries have the potential to reshape the electric-supply system and protect ratepayers' wallets by reducing the need for fossil fuel-fired peaker plants.
New York State is also looking to deploy large batteries to help make the grid more reliable. Using batteries to power electric appliances could avoid the need for more expensive, dirtier power plants to meet demand during peak usage. The cost of the devices and whether the value delivered exceeds that cost is a factor in getting more customers to put the batteries in their homes.
The Responsible Grid program is a compelling model, offering a way to address grid stress without waiting for large-scale energy storage infrastructure to be built. It's a step forward in the city's journey towards a more sustainable and resilient energy future.
The Responsible Grid program, by employing small home batteries for demand response, is not only revolutionizing the way homes manage energy consumption but also integrating technology into the industry, offering a potential solution for conservation in the finance sector, such as reducing electricity bills and preventing the need for fossil fuel-fired power plants. As New York State seeks to expand the use of large batteries for grid reliability, partnerships like Standard Potential and Con Ed's could spearhead the transition in the energy sector towards a more sustainable future, leveraging technology for resilience and financial benefits.
