Get paid by the grid
for the energy you store.
A virtual power plant connects your battery to the grid. When demand peaks, you earn a payment for every kilowatt-hour dispatched.
Sunrun, Tesla, and Renew Home announce the largest residential VPP program in US history
On June 25, 2026, Sunrun, Tesla, and Renew Home announced plans for a 16.8 gigawatt virtual power plant program - the largest residential VPP initiative ever proposed in the United States. The three companies paid more than $67 million to residential VPP participants in 2025 alone. If you own a home battery, this is what it could work for.
Your battery. Your energy.
Your earnings.
Xcel Energy pays
Colorado battery owners.
Colorado law requires Xcel Energy to operate a virtual power plant program and pay customers who let the utility dispatch their stored battery energy during peak demand.
Xcel Energy's Renewable Battery Connect program pays Colorado battery owners an upfront incentive of $250 per kilowatt of battery capacity, plus $100/year for five years for allowing the utility to dispatch stored energy during peak demand events.
The program is separate from the solar savings Sol Country calculates - VPP payments stack on top of net metering credits and federal tax incentives.
A prior enrollment window closed February 20, 2026 after Xcel's 2025 budget was exhausted. Existing enrollees continue to be paid. Check xcelenergy.com for current availability before installing. Sol Country helps you understand the program - it does not enroll you. Enrollment happens directly with Xcel Energy.
$500 to $1,500 per year.
Here's what the data shows.
Without VPP participation, a home battery typically takes 12-18 years to pay for itself through time-of-use savings alone. With VPP participation, that payback compresses significantly. Here are the documented earnings ranges from active 2026 programs:
During the early July 2026 PJM heatwave, which pushed grid demand to near-record levels across the mid-Atlantic and Midwest, residential VPP batteries were dispatched to reduce load on the grid — exactly the scenario these programs are designed for. Homeowners enrolled in VPP programs earned payments for their battery's contribution during this event.
Earnings vary by battery size, number of dispatch events, and program terms. These figures represent documented 2026 program rates, not guarantees. Sol Country is not affiliated with any VPP program and does not process enrollment.
Calculate your battery upgrade payback →What's happening in your
state right now.
Massachusetts
Governor's executive order set a 3.5 GW VPP target from load management strategies including home batteries. ConnectedSolutions is the primary active program.
Minnesota
$430 million distributed battery program approved Q1 2026 - one of the largest state-level battery storage investments in US history.
Texas
Multiple new residential VPP programs launched in 2026 including Base Power / El Paso Electric (up to 10MW of residential storage) and Sonnen / Solrite ($20/month battery, 3,000 households enrolled).
Illinois
Investor-owned utilities required to file scheduled dispatch VPP tariff. Illinois Commerce Commission establishing the program - watch for launch in late 2026.
New York
New legislation proposed to give residential battery owners 'fair market' access to VPP compensation comparable to commercial solar. Assembly bill pending.
Vermont
Green Mountain Power operates one of the most established residential VPP programs in the country - battery lease or bring-your-own-device options available.
VPP and demand response
programs available now.
| State | Program | Payment | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | Xcel Renewable Battery Connect | $250/kW + $100/yr (verify current terms) | Active - Verify ✓ |
| MA / CT / RI / NH / VT / ME / NJ | ConnectedSolutions (Eversource, National Grid) | $225/kW summer + $50/kW winter | Active ✓ |
| Texas | Sonnen / Solrite | $0.12/kWh flat + $20/mo battery | Active ✓ |
| Vermont | Green Mountain Power (lease or BYOD) | Peak dispatch incentives | Active ✓ |
| California | SGIP (storage incentive) | $200-400/kWh | Active ✓ |
| TX / CA / NY | OhmConnect (demand response - no battery) Enroll → | $100-300+/yr | Active ✓ |
| New York | Con Edison DRP | Variable | Active ✓ |
Sol Country tracks demand response and VPP programs in all 50 states. Join the waitlist to be notified when a program launches in your utility territory.
Be first when Sol Country's
VPP network launches in your state.
Sol Country is building a consumer VPP network - a smarter way to enroll, monitor, and get paid for your stored energy. Join the waitlist and we'll notify you when it's available in your utility territory.
Sol Grid waitlist members will also get first access to peer-to-peer energy trading when it becomes available in their state.
Peer-to-peer energy trading -
the next frontier.
Virtual power plants let you sell energy back to the utility. The next step is selling directly to your neighbors - cutting out the utility entirely and setting your own price.
Peer-to-peer energy trading is already operating in Brooklyn, NY and several European markets. The technology works. The barrier is US utility regulation - which is moving, state by state, in the same direction as balcony solar legislation.
Own your energy.
Get paid for it too.
Sol Country notifies you the moment a VPP program opens in your utility territory.