Troy Turner and Mary Powell unveil Turner's new Powerwall at his home in St Albans. GMP photo.
Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power today announced it has begun customer installations of the Tesla Powerwall home battery for customers. The cutting edge technology empowers customers to become more energy independent by storing power for use during outages. When paired with rooftop solar, customers can generate and store their own energy, increasing reliability and the production of clean power. The Powerwall also allows the company to reduce peak demand on the system, providing cost savings to all customers. GMP is the first utility in the country to install the Powerwall for its customers.
“The Tesla Powerwall is a game changer in terms of power storage and a big step forward for customers and for GMP as we transform the way we generate and use energy,” said GMP President and CEO Mary Powell. “This is all about delivering on what our customers need to move away from the antiquated, bulk power system to one that is cleaner and more reliable, where we generate power closer to where it’s used.”
The Tesla home battery can be paired with small-scale solar such as rooftop panels to store locally generated energy, or it can be used without solar as a battery to store power from the grid. During a storm or emergency, the battery is able to power essential parts of the home like lights, a refrigerator, and furnace for several hours. Customers can also leverage time of use rates to charge and discharge the battery at times that will save them money. GMP is partnering with customers to maximize the Powerwall’s full potential for both the customer and the grid. GMP and customers will utilize the batteries during peak energy times – like hot summer days – to directly lower costs for customers by reducing transmission and capacity costs.
GMP has about 7,000 net metering customers.
“It is thrilling to be among the first customers in the country to have a Powerwall installed in our home here in St. Albans,” said Troy Turner, a GMP customer. “This is a great investment for our family to increase reliability and lessen the impact of outages. We really believe this is the future of energy and are very excited to be a small part of the revolution.”
GMP has worked closely with customers to help make the Powerwall an affordable option. Customers can lease one for about $37.50 a month or about $1.25 a day, with no upfront cost. Customers can also choose to partner with GMP to purchase the Powerwall, and with shared access will receive a monthly bill credit of $31.76. Both options represent the value of leveraging the battery to help lower peak energy costs.
To buy the system, with the equipment, would be about $6,500; installation would be extra.
Josh Castanguay, GMP's Chief Innovation Executive, said of the initial 500, "I think we'll move them pretty quickly this summer." He also anticipates the program going well beyond that number, based on customer demand.
The advantage to GMP, even in small increments, will add up, he said, especially during those summer peak loads, where the solar net metering can help offset the need for GMP to buy more expensive power from wholesale generators. Those generators tend to be farther away, which also puts strain on the grid.
"Every single kilowatt we can knock down on the peak is going to reduce our cost," he said.
For instance, he said, while GMP has reached its net metering ceiling of 15 percent (of about 750 megawatts), 500 Powerwalls, if shared with GMP, would offset 1 megawatt. The Powerwall sharing could also help during power outages and "smooth out" the up and down nature of solar generation, Castanguay said.
“Products like the Tesla Powerwall empower customers and speed up the pace of change, keeping Vermont on the cutting edge of innovation,” Powell continued. “GMP is turning the old utility model on its head, and offering products and services to help Vermonters use more locally produced energy so that one day we’ll rely on the grid as a back up system.”
Tesla Powerwalls for Home Energy Storage Are Hitting US MarketBloomberg To Steve Yates, the best thing about his new Tesla Powerwall is that he doesn’t have to worry anymore about the lights going out during a storm. Or maybe it’s how cool an addition it is to the entryway of his house in Monkton, Vermont. “I’ve always wanted to have a backup power source,” said Yates, who was without electricity for 36 hours during Hurricane Irene in 2011. He also admires the Powerwall’s sleek white contours. “It’s kind of art-deco looking.”  Solar panel linked to a Tesla Powerwall.
Photographer: Ian Thomas Jansen-Lonnquist/Bloomberg
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Customers are encouraged to call or go online to learn more about the Tesla Powerwall. GMP has 500 Powerwall home batteries available at this time and expects to get more to meet customer demand.
About Green Mountain Power:
Green Mountain Power (GMP) serves approximately 265,000 residential and business customers in Vermont and has a vision to be the best small company in America by partnering with Vermonters to improve lives and transform communities. GMP is focused on a new way of doing business to meet the needs of customers with integrated energy services that help people use less energy and save money, while continuing to generate clean, cost-effective and reliable power in Vermont. GMP is the first utility in the world to get a B Corp certification, meeting rigorous social, environmental, accountability and transparency standards and committing to use business as a force for good. In 2014, Vote Solar named GMP a Solar Champion. More information at: www.greenmountainpower.com. Connect with GMP on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @GreenMtnPower.
To sign up for a Tesla Powerwall or for more information, visit: http://products.greenmountainpower.com/product/tesla-powerwall/
