Solar panel and battery installation company Sunrun has connected 75,000 home batteries together as a virtual power plant to help fortify California’s electrical grid.
Over 56,000 Sunrun customers with solar and energy storage systems are now part of the solution in the face of growing power outages during heat waves and other extreme weather events, according to Electrek.
CalReady is the company’s program that utilizes home energy storage systems as a backup power source that can provide up to 375 megawatts to the grid when the need arises.
Not only will this help residents keep cool during heat waves, but it will also lower electricity bills and put money into the pockets of residents who volunteer to be part of the collective program.
Participants can earn up to $150 per battery for sharing their stored solar energy for no more than 35 days per year between May and October.
Peak demand is usually between 4pm and 9pm, and CalReady’s grid events last no more than two hours during that time.
Solar power has been leading the way in renewable energy capacity for several years, with both solar and battery storage accounting for 84% of total capacity additions, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.