Until recently, you’ve had no choice but to be a passive participant in the electrical grid, paying exorbitantly for the juice that flows into your home. But you’re about to play a much more active role — if you’re not already — and get paid to send power from your home battery or electric vehicle to the energy system. Even if you’re a renter, you may be able to buy solar panels that plug into a wall outlet, turning your balcony into your own tiny power plant.
Earlier this month, a punishing California heat wave showed just how this more flexible grid can help absorb spikes in demand. According to the energy-focused nonprofit Common Charge, as the mercury climbed on October 6, home batteries from Tesla and Sunrun provided enough to power every home in San Francisco and San Jose, whose combined population is about 1.8 million, during peak hours.
This sort of adaptability doesn’t just help stabilize the grid, and it doesn’t just compensate the people who supply power — it saves all ratepayers money in th... Read more
